Fulfillment of Prophecy; February 9, 2018

Posted on February 12, 2018 by jgarrott

Isaiah 66:8 Who has ever heard of such a thing?
Who has ever seen such things?
Can a country be born in a day
or a nation be brought forth in a moment?
Yet no sooner is Zion in labor
than she gives birth to her children.

This is a prophecy that has been fulfilled, yet there are still many who try to deny that fact. 70 years ago the modern nation of Israel was indeed birthed in a day, to the consternation of all who hate her and the amazed delight of all who love her. The fact that Biblical prophecy is still being fulfilled in Israel and among the Jews should silence those who espouse “replacement theology,” (saying the Church has replaced the Jews in God’s plan, so they have no more place in it) but unfortunately it doesn’t. At the same time, the fulfillment of such prophecies should encourage the faith of all who are committed to Christ, because they are demonstrations of the validity of the prophecies that are not yet fulfilled, specifically of Christ’s return. It’s no accident that evangelical and particularly Pentecostal Christians are generally Israel’s strongest supporters! It is dangerous to get fixated on specific timelines, because they are almost certainly mistaken, but it is not at all wrong to be looking forward to the fulfillment of all of God’s promises. Saying that, we do need to remember that not all of those promises are “sweetness and light.” Just a few verses after this it says, “For with fire and with his sword the Lord will execute judgment upon all men, and many will be those slain by the Lord.” (Isaiah 66:16) We are to be assured that God is totally faithful, but remember that His best doesn’t necessarily follow our scenario.

I have long taken pride in having been born the same year as Israel, though a few months after her “birthday.” I have never been there physically, but rejoice to be part of Zion spiritually. In thinking about this prophecy and its fulfillment, I need to be assured that indeed, nothing is impossible for God. As much as I encourage others to have faith, I too get fixated on temporal things, especially when they don’t turn out as I had imagined. I’ve got to remember that no matter how bleak things might look at a given moment, God can turn them around completely so fast as to make my head spin. I honestly believe such a time is upon us right now. God is going to bring in people and resources to this church in ways we can’t imagine, and many will know that He is God indeed. I needn’t worry about my “legacy,” because that is in His hands. From my perspective there are many unknowns, but there are none from His. I am to be at peace with that, and rest, relax, and rejoice in my Lord.

Father, thank You for this very wonderful encouragement. Thank You for Your perfect plans, and for incorporating me into them. Help me fulfill the part You have for me in them, so that Your purposes may indeed be fulfilled on Your schedule for Your glory. Thank You. Hallelujah!

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Lifespan; February 8, 2018

Posted on February 11, 2018 by jgarrott

Isaiah 65:20 “Never again will there be in it
an infant who lives but a few days,
or an old man who does not live out his years;
he who dies at a hundred
will be thought a mere youth;
he who fails to reach a hundred
will be considered accursed.”

It’s interesting that we are approaching the condition prophesied here simply by medical means. In Japan, the average life expectancy for men is currently 81, and for women it’s 87. The thing to notice there is the word, average. It is common to run into people in their 90s, and centenarians aren’t unusual. The flip side of that is the huge advances in neonatal care, so that infants who live just a few days are indeed rare. However, that’s in a nation that almost totally ignores the God of the Bible, so what is the meaning? The thing is, living to a hundred doesn’t hold much weight if your destination is eternal destruction in hell. Our time on Earth is simply to give us the opportunity to discover and come into right relationship with our Creator, so that we may spend eternity with Him. Very few people actually live with that perspective, because as Paul said, “the god of this age has blinded them.” (2 Corinthians 4:4) As Jesus pointed out, “What good is it for a man to gain the whole world, and yet lose or forfeit his very self?” (Luke 9:25) We measure our lives in time, but life in Christ is eternal, and so infinite. 100 years is no big deal for someone in Christ!

As I am now pushing 70, this is an issue that comes to mind fairly often. The thought of disposing of all the stuff I’ve accumulated is both pressing and depressing. I would much rather focus on how to be productive with each day, but leaving things for others to dispose of is both unkind and irresponsible. I continue to be concerned for my spiritual legacy, desiring to pour into others what has been poured into me. The thing is, all I really bring to the table is faithfulness, because the wisdom and strength have to come from God. I am to approach each day with anticipation and joy, knowing that God has given it to me and that His plans are good. I would have little problem passing things on to someone else, but the thought of simply disposing of things, with no one to receive them, gets me down. I still have a lot of room to grow spiritually! I’ve got to remember that Philippians 1:6, which I often quote to young people, is just as true for me: “He who began a good work in you will carry it on to completion until the day of Christ Jesus.”

Father, thank You for all You are doing in, around, and through me. Thank You for the various things I got done yesterday that had been bothering me. I have a largely open schedule for the next two months. Help me not fritter it away, much less retreat into doing nothing, but rather use each day as You intend, so that however long You keep me on this earth, every bit of it will be spent doing Your will for Your glory. Thank You. Praise God!

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Consequences; February 7, 2018

Posted on February 11, 2018 by jgarrott

Isaiah 65:13-14 Therefore this is what the Sovereign Lord says:
“My servants will eat,
but you will go hungry;
my servants will drink,
but you will go thirsty;
my servants will rejoice,
but you will be put to shame.
My servants will sing
out of the joy of their hearts,
but you will cry out
from anguish of heart
and wail in brokenness of spirit.”

There could hardly be a more explicit statement of the consequences of rebelling against God. The first part of this chapter goes into some detail about the idolatrous practices of many of the Jews, who thought they deserved the blessings of God simply by physical descent. After that description, we get the “Therefore” at the start of verse 13. It is amazing sometimes how we think we can flaunt God and not suffer the consequences. The flip side of that is the blessed state of those who are committed to serving God, also described here. Simply put, all physical and emotional needs will be met. That’s certainly worth working for! As I keep being reminded, actions have consequences. God is very much a God of grace, and He consistently gives us better than we deserve, but if there is no repentance, there is no remedy. God calls us to seek Him, but if we close our ears and turn our backs, we have brought our fate on ourselves.

I must never forget that this applies to me as much as it does to anyone. I spent too long in my youth thinking that my lineage entitled me to special privileges, which it didn’t. I did receive generational blessings, but what I did with those was my responsibility, and too often I squandered them. I will always remember the moment the Lord tapped me on the shoulder, and when I turned, He had a mirror to show me the blackness of my soul. I will be eternally grateful for that moment, as painful as it was, because repentance brings forgiveness and healing, just as the Bible says. (1 John 1:9, etc.) As a pastor in a largely non-Christian nation I try to help people understand the consequences of the path they have taken, but the vast majority have no ears to hear, no background to understand the concept of eternal judgment and eternal salvation. They are so fixated on the here and now that even Christians have trouble prioritizing their walk with Christ over the demands of society. I can’t fix that by the force of argument, but I can speak the truth in love, and I must do so, allowing the Holy Spirit to take His words through me and use them to change people’s hearts. “You can’t fix stupid” is a well-known expression, but nothing is impossible for God, so I’ve got to keep praying and trusting Him to take the spiritual blinders off of those to whom I minister, for their salvation and His glory.

Father, thank You for Your grace and Your faithfulness. Thank You for Your mercy toward me. Help me extend that grace and mercy faithfully to all, so that as many as will may leave the way of destruction and enter the way of salvation, for Your glory. Thank You. Praise God!

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Belonging; February 6, 2018

Posted on February 10, 2018 by jgarrott

Isaiah 63:16 But you are our Father,
though Abraham does not know us
or Israel acknowledge us;
you, O Lord, are our Father,
our Redeemer from of old is your name.

Everyone has a fundamental need to be acknowledged, to belong. Some would try to deny that, cherishing their vaunted “independence,” but that’s a sham, a false front put up to comfort themselves. Isaiah was here speaking as a devout believer who probably experienced a good bit of rejection, since as Jesus pointed out, prophets often run into that sort of thing. (Luke 4:23-24) However expected it might be, it’s still painful. Isaiah’s statement is pretty extreme, speaking as a Jew of being unknown to Abraham or acknowledged by Israel. That would indicate that people around him were saying things like, “What kind of a Jew are you, prophesying like that?” He found his comfort in the assurance that God hadn’t discarded him, whatever people might do. Sometimes we are in need of exactly the same assurance. Saints through the ages have experienced rejection, because they “march to the beat of a different drummer” than society around them. When my mother was a single missionary in 1936 she made friends with a young girl, Akiko, who wanted to learn English. They exchanged language lessons, and in the process Akiko came to know Jesus Christ as Savior and Lord. When she told her parents, she was thrown out of the house, literally, and my mother took her into her own apartment, arranging for her to be able to go all the way from Tokyo, where they were, to a Christian school in Nagasaki. That forged a bond that was so strong, when my mother’s ashes were buried, Akiko was the family representative who spoke to those assembled. Akiko discovered that when God is your Father, you have a family that is far bigger and stronger than simple “blood ties.” Isaiah knew that, and we need to remember it as well.

I have experienced plenty of rejection in my life, but thankfully not from my blood kin. One of my deepest inner hurts has been knowing I will never be accepted as Japanese by the vast majority of Japanese, because they define such things in terms of genetics. It makes no difference that I was born here and have actually lived here for over 51 years. (In America I also experienced rejection, because of my very different background. During my year of high school in Tennessee, one of my nicknames was “Jack the Jap.”) Like Isaiah, I have had to be comforted by the realization that my belonging is based on God, and not on any human criterion. I need to let my experience generate genuine compassion for those around me who feel rejected, pointing them to the loving heavenly Father who accepts all who come to Him in humble repentance.

Father, thank You for this reminder. Help me be Your child indeed, accurately reflecting Your character, so that many around me may be drawn to repentance and faith, for their salvation and Your glory. Thank You. Praise God!

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Intercession; February 5, 2018

Posted on February 10, 2018 by jgarrott

Isaiah 62:6-7 I have posted watchmen on your walls, O Jerusalem;
they will never be silent day or night.
You who call on the Lord,
give yourselves no rest,
and give him no rest till he establishes Jerusalem
and makes her the praise of the earth.

This passage is the inspiration for multiple groups that currently pray for Israel and for the Church. The NIV is interesting in that it speaks not only of the watchmen not resting, it also speaks of giving God no rest. The Japanese simply says, “Don’t be quiet” for both. The Japanese is interesting in that where the NIV says, “You who call on the Lord,” it says, “You whom the Lord remembers.” I find myself wanting to know the original text there! Since Isaiah was the one book of the Old Testament that was found intact among the Dead Seas Scrolls, that should be fairly definitive. In any case, the point is that God calls some people as intercessors for big things, like nations. Intercession is a high privilege that is available to every child of God, but it is also the specific assignment and gifting of some individuals. We are all to pray for others, which is essentially what intercession is all about, but as Paul makes very clear in Romans 12, 1 Corinthians 12, and Ephesians 4, not everybody has the same job. God equips each of us for the work He has prepared for us, but we are responsible to take what He has provided and exercise and grow it, as faithful stewards. This is what the Parable of the Talents (Matthew 25) is all about. An interesting thing about such things is that we all tend to expect other people to be just like us, and are surprised when things that are natural and easy for us are difficult for others. That really becomes a problem when we condemn others for not feeling the urgency we do for doing particular things. Intercession is no exception. As I have already said, not everyone is to be what might be called a “full time intercessor,” even though every believer is to intercede.

As a pastor I certainly pray for others a great deal, but intercession isn’t my main assignment. I have noticed that the devil hates intercessors, because he fears the power they wield. I can think of more than one such person who is currently not living close to the Lord at all, because the devil has deceived them into focusing on themselves and their own problems. That’s the opposite of intercession! Interestingly, I am to intercede for them, that they may be liberated from the traps of the enemy to move into what God has planned for them! That’s part of my work in “preparing God’s people for works of service.” (Ephesians 4:12) I can’t do it all myself, and to this point I have tried to do that far too much. Rather, I need to be asking God to show me who He has prepared for each job, so that I may come alongside them and train and encourage them. That’s a major part of my intercession.

Father, thank You for this Word. I’m still not good at delegation, but I think I’m growing. Help me indeed do what You have planned for me, (Ephesians 2:10) so that believers may be birthed and trained and matured, to be a mighty army for Your kingdom and Your glory. Thank You. Hallelujah!

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Restoration; February 4, 2018

Posted on February 9, 2018 by jgarrott

Isaiah 61:4-5 They will rebuild the ancient ruins
and restore the places long devastated;
they will renew the ruined cities
that have been devastated for generations.
Aliens will shepherd your flocks;
foreigners will work your fields and vineyards.

It’s interesting that these two verses were the only part of the whole chapter that I hadn’t underlined previously, but they are what the Lord spoke to me just now. We often forget how thoroughly God is in the business of restoration. Maybe you could call it His hobby! He often does some of His most magnificent work with lives that have previously been devastated and written off by others. Restoration is an opportunity for Him to demonstrate that He is far greater than any circumstances we might face. This chapter as a whole is significant for several reasons. Jesus Himself read the first verse and the first line of the second in the synagogue in Nazareth (Luke 4:14-30) at the beginning of His public ministry, claiming it as His commission. From verse four through verse nine, it seems to be finding fulfillment in the nation of Israel today. That’s not to say that the Jews are God’s people apart from the Church, or that the Church is God’s people apart from the Jews, but rather that God’s plans aren’t complete yet for any of His children, and His plans are magnificent indeed. After the Holocaust, who would have dreamed Israel would be as it is today? Israel became a nation again 70 years ago this year, and today it is a shining example of a whole litany of good things, despite fierce opposition from many quarters. As the saying goes, one plus God is a majority!

The reason this jumped out at me just now is that the Lord spoke to Cathy a few days ago that we are to touch base with people we have known over the 36 years we have been in Omura, because He is going to use them not simply to restore this church but to bring in the harvest for which we have prayed so long. She was in the process of making up a list of those we should go visit when Friday a young woman showed up asking for help with an overseas communication problem, and it turned out she had come to an English class here at the church as an elementary school student. Yesterday we went out visiting people on Cathy’s list, and though none of them were at home, we made good contacts with other people in the process. In reference to verse five, at a pastors meeting this past week we were struck by the fact that there were more non-Japanese than Japanese present, with missionaries from Korea and Hong Kong as well as Cathy and myself. Spiritually speaking Japan has certainly been a “place long devastated,” but that is no problem for the Lord. He has given us the vision of Omura again being the foremost Christian city in the nation, as it was 450 years ago. However impossible that looks to man, nothing is impossible for God!

Father, thank You for this Word of encouragement. Thank You for all that You are doing, which is far more than I could even imagine. (Ephesians 3:20-21) May all of Your plans, for us and for this nation and for the world, be fulfilled, on Your schedule and for Your glory. Thank You. Hallelujah!

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Giving; February 3, 2018

Posted on February 9, 2018 by jgarrott

Isaiah 58:6-7 “Is not this the kind of fasting I have chosen:
to loose the chains of injustice
and untie the cords of the yoke,
to set the oppressed free
and break every yoke?
Is it not to share your food with the hungry
and to provide the poor wanderer with shelter—
when you see the naked, to clothe him,
and not to turn away from your own flesh and blood?

When we think about God’s provision it often doesn’t occur to us that He wants us to be channels of that provision to others. As the following verses make clear, the rewards for doing so are great! Some of us have more contact with physical need than others, but everyone has opportunity in this area. Some would protest that “Charities are scams,” but there are certainly some, like Samaritan’s Purse, that are fully trustworthy. We are bombarded with pleas for money, so it does call for discernment, but if we are genuinely desiring to please God, this is an area that must not be overlooked. God desires not only to meet needs but to transform the hearts of His children in the process.

I am very much preaching to myself here. I am convicted of being very stingy with financial gifts, other than to this church. We do give 15% of our income, but this is a different matter. We do give food and clothing directly as the opportunities arise, but as often as I have recommended Samaritan’s Purse, I’ve never sent them anything. I don’t think that pleases God. By the standards of the “developed nations” my income isn’t great – I haven’t had to pay income tax most years – but by the standards of the world as a whole, I live a life of luxury. I am to remember that God is my supply, and keep everything in my hands – and bank account – available to Him. There are many things that tempt me, but I have precious few needs that aren’t met, and abundantly at that. I am to seek God’s will at every turn, not rejecting His blessings to me but not hanging on to them either.

Father, thank You for this Word of correction. I confess to allowing myself to be numbed by all the pleas for money, when that isn’t the response You desire. Help me be the steward You want me to be of everything You provide, for the sake of Your kingdom and Your glory. Thank You. Praise God!

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Excluding Ourselves; February 2, 2018

Posted on February 5, 2018 by jgarrott

Isaiah 56:3 Let no foreigner who has bound himself to the Lord say,
“The Lord will surely exclude me from his people.”
And let not any eunuch complain,
“I am only a dry tree.”

Very often we exclude ourselves from God’s purposes, His blessings, when He intends to include us. It all comes back to our focusing on ourselves instead of on God. When our focus is on Him, literally nothing is impossible, but we can’t wrap our minds around that. We aren’t to dream things up on our own, either positively or negatively, but rather listen carefully to God. God is under no obligation to fulfill our pipe dreams! However, if God has said it, that settles it, whatever things look like to our natural mind. God has quite a track record of using “inappropriate” people to accomplish His purposes. Moses had no administrative skills, yet God used him to lead the whole nation of Israel out of Egypt. Saul was a violent enemy of the Church, but God used him to take the Gospel to Europe and to write half of the New Testament. Paul himself was very aware of this dynamic, speaking of it repeatedly in his letters. He reminded the Corinthian believers of it in 1 Corinthians 1:26-31, and he told Timothy he himself was the chief among sinners. (1 Timothy 1:15) At the same time, he gave God the credit for all he accomplished. (Colossians 1:29) Whether the world would view us as qualified or not, we need to keep ourselves available for however God wants to use us.

As a pastor I run into this issue all the time. Japanese society frowns strongly on bragging, to the point that people often won’t take credit for things they have done. Of course the best response is to say “God did it,” but people don’t like to acknowledge that they were the instrument. In consequence, it can be very hard to get people to volunteer for anything. Japanese have a strong tendency to leave things to the “experts,” when often the “expert” just happens to have read the manual. I was greatly blessed to be raised by parents who never once told me something was too difficult for me, but encouraged me to try. As a result, I have a wide range of abilities that are intimidating to some. In the church, I’m often considered the “expert” who should be allowed to do everything! I can’t overcome that by my own wisdom and strength, but God can by His Spirit. I am never to give up, but trust that God can do whatever is necessary, and maybe even use me in the process.

Father, thank You for this reminder. Help me be effective in encouraging the believers to recognize what You have already placed in them and to trust You to use them, so that Your kingdom may come as Your will is done, for Your glory. Thank You. Praise God!

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Satisfaction; February 1, 2018

Posted on February 4, 2018 by jgarrott

Isaiah 55:1-2 “Come, all you who are thirsty,
come to the waters;
and you who have no money,
come, buy and eat!
Come, buy wine and milk
without money and without cost.
Why spend money on what is not bread,
and your labor on what does not satisfy?
Listen, listen to me, and eat what is good,
and your soul will delight in the richest of fare.

This whole chapter has had many songs made from it, and I can’t read it without them running through my mind. That’s not a bad thing! The one based on these first two verses isn’t so widely known, and I honestly have no idea who the composer is, but I like it just the same. The words here bring to mind several other Scriptures, in particular John 4, where Jesus talks to the Samaritan woman about the living water He would give her. It also brings to mind Jesus’ words in the Sermon on the Mount: “Blessed are those who hunger and thirst for righteousness, for they will be filled.” (Matthew 5:6) We tend to think of passages like this in relation to poor people, but to me this seems especially appropriate for today’s affluent, materialistic society. We seek and labor for all sorts of things, only to discover that they are ultimately unsatisfying. Only a right relationship with our Creator brings the kind of satisfaction we really seek. The devil does all he can to hide that truth from us, and sadly, he is all too successful much of the time. Jesus had the ultimate answer for this issue: “Seek first his kingdom and his righteousness, and all these things will be given to you as well.” (Matthew 6:33) We need all sorts of things in our lives, material and otherwise, but if our focus is on God and His kingdom, He will take care of everything we need.

The longer I walk with the Lord, the more a very few Scriptures stand out to me: Matthew 6:9-10, Matthew 6:33, and John 16:33. I love the whole Bible and read it daily, because it is incredibly rich, but those verses form a bedrock for me. I have learned that God is indeed totally satisfying, and He alone is totally satisfying. Everything else is temporal and thus temporary, and is not worth pegging my heart on. That’s not to say that I’m not to enjoy and be grateful for the abundance that God pours out on me, especially things like family and friends, but it is to say that everything must come after God in my heart, or I will be deceived. When He is indeed first, I can see things through His eyes and relate to them as He intends, which is without question the path of greatest blessing, for me and for everyone else.

Father, thank You for this reminder. You have truly been incredibly gracious toward me. Help me indeed not cling to anything but Christ, holding everything else with open hands so that You may use it as You intend, not only for my blessing and the blessing of those around me, but for Your kingdom and Your glory. Thank You. Praise God!

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Dry Ground; January 31, 2018

Posted on February 4, 2018 by jgarrott

Isaiah 44:3 For I will pour water on the thirsty land,
and streams on the dry ground;
I will pour out my Spirit on your offspring,
and my blessing on your descendants.

I am very amused at how the Lord used my mistake to get this passage into the reading sequence. When I was preparing the February list I realized that 44 was a typo for 55, which will be the reading for tomorrow. (The January list gives 44:1-13 as following 53:1-12, and verse 13 is an odd place to stop reading in chapter 44.) However, I believe God wanted to be sure we read the first eight verses of chapter 44, so here we are. This particular verse of course calls to mind the passage from Joel that Peter quoted on the day of Pentecost: “And afterwards, I will pour out my Spirit on all people. Your sons and daughters will prophesy, your old men will dream dreams, your young men will see visions. Even on my servants, both men and women, I will pour out my Spirit in those days.” (Joel 2:28-29 – Peter went all the way to verse 32 in his quote.) The point is, when we are pursuing the theme of God’s Provision, we must not forget that He provides His Spirit, who is far more important than all the physical provisions we usually focus on. The imagery in this verse is especially appropriate for Japan, because spiritually this has seemed like dry ground indeed. Japan is unique in the world in the poor rate of return for effort and resources put into evangelism. Protestant missionaries arrived over 150 years ago, and Catholics over 450 years ago, but the current percentage of church members, let alone active believers, is around 2% by government statistics, and that includes groups that are marginally Christian at best. However, nothing is impossible for God! John the Baptist said that God gives the Spirit without limit, (John 3:34) so it doesn’t matter how dry the land is! Eventually the time will come when the “spiritual water table” will rise to the point of verdant farm land, and God will receive the harvest that He desires from this nation.

Following my parents, we have been committed to missions in Japan since 1934. My parents didn’t see the full harvest with their natural eyes, and so far I haven’t either. However, we haven’t been entirely fruitless, and that gives me hope. Yesterday I was at a meeting where missionaries from Korea and Hong Kong outnumbered the Japanese pastors, and my wife and I were the only Westerners. God’s plans are both different and much better than ours, and we must not try to limit Him in our thinking. (Isaiah 55:9-11 – part of tomorrow’s reading!) I am to focus on expectant faithfulness, and leave the results up to Him.

Father, thank You for yesterday’s meeting, and for the Korean couple who wanted to come see our church afterward. Thank You that Your plans are greater than we could imagine. Help us keep our eyes on Jesus (Hebrews 12:2) so that we won’t be discouraged, or even give up, but rather fulfill all of Your purposes for us, on Your schedule for Your glory. Thank You. Praise God!

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