Encouragement from the Word; January 20, 2018

Posted on January 24, 2018 by jgarrott

Isaiah 35:3-4 Strengthen the feeble hands,
steady the knees that give way;
say to those with fearful hearts,
“Be strong, do not fear;
your God will come,
he will come with vengeance;
with divine retribution
he will come to save you.”

Some prophecies aren’t much fun to deliver, but I’m sure Isaiah delighted to give this one! I’m not even sure how many songs have been written to the 10 verses of this chapter, but there are a lot, and I know quite a few of them. As is almost always the case, there are a number of ways this content can be/has been translated, and I particularly like the Japanese for verse four. It starts with, “Say to those whose hearts are in turmoil.” Sometimes we don’t exactly feel fearful, but our minds won’t stop running “what ifs” over and over. Then, after saying “Be strong, do not fear,” just like the NIV, it says, “Look at your God.” Most of the time when our hearts are in turmoil it’s because we’ve lost sight of God. This is exactly the problem addressed in Hebrews 12. “Let us fix our eyes on Jesus, the author and perfecter of our faith, who for the joy set before him endured the cross, scorning its shame, and sat down at the right hand of the throne of God. Consider him who endured such opposition from sinful men, so that you will not grow weary and lose heart.” (Hebrews 12:2-3) We have an advantage over those to whom Isaiah was speaking directly, because we not only have the Father to look at, we have the clear example of Jesus Christ the Son. That can be a lot easier to understand in terms of knowing how we are to respond to our own circumstances. We too can endure the “crosses” we experience if we have a firm grasp of the joy that is set before us. Paul put it this way: “For our light and momentary troubles are achieving for us an eternal glory that far outweighs them all.” (2 Corinthians 4:17) When we get that through our minds and hearts we have the perfect peace that not only Paul (Philippians 4:7) but Isaiah talked about. “You will keep in perfect peace him whose mind is steadfast, because he trusts in you.” (Isaiah 26:3)

Well! If I don’t feel encouraged at this point it’s my own fault! This is an example of the joy and blessing it is to have a lot of the Bible in my mind and heart. I did check references for all the Scriptures I’ve just mentioned, but they were already there for the Holy Spirit to pull them up in my memory. I am deeply grateful to have been raised in a home that was steeped in faith and the Word, so that I first read through the Bible by the time I was 10. I received an RSV full Bible after I was baptized at age seven, and my father’s long sermons in Japanese were a great time for me to read it! I have learned the hard way that there’s a big difference between knowing the words of the Bible and having it in your heart to do it, just like James talked about, (James 1:22) but when it is in your memory the Holy Spirit has an easy time of calling it up to guide and encourage you. As a pastor, I deeply desire that each of my flock “hide the Word in their hearts” (Psalm 119:11) through daily devotional Bible reading, and it is a heartache that so few do. Given modern culture, they’d probably do much better at it in electronic form on their phones, so I need to check what apps to recommend. I create a Scripture reading list each month, and I need to start sending it to the believers in electronic form, rather than just printed out. I need to change my methods with the times, without changing the content of God’s truth. God’s Word is never out of date, if people will only realize that.

Father, thank You for this encouragement on several levels right now. Thank You that one of my “wandering sheep” will be coming to help me this morning. I pray that I would be fully available to You in ministering to him as he needs, so that the lies of the devil may be destroyed by Your truth in love, for Your glory. Thank You. Hallelujah!

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Teachers; January 19, 2018

Posted on January 21, 2018 by jgarrott

Isaiah 30:20-21 Although the Lord gives you the bread of adversity and the water of affliction, your teachers will be hidden no more; with your own eyes you will see them. Whether you turn to the right or to the left, your ears will hear a voice behind you, saying, “This is the way; walk in it.”

This passage deals with a touchy subject. We all need direction at times, but we aren’t always willing to receive it. Men in particular are famous for getting lost because they won’t ask for directions. God knows that in us better than we do ourselves, so He expresses guidance to us in various ways. Sometimes those aren’t a lot of fun! When we are stubborn (which is often enough) they can feel like adversity and affliction, as this passage mentions. The quicker we get a clue and do what the Lord is telling us, the less of that we have to endure. The statement about teachers not being hidden is somewhat mysterious. The Japanese, being rather more literal than the NIV, specifies “You will continue to see them.” I honestly don’t know what that means. However, the promise of direction at every turn is a welcome one for everyone who honestly seeks God. This passage is quoted on the base of a statue of a cadet at Hargrave Military Academy in Chatham, Virginia. Quite a few troubled young people have been straightened out by the ministry of that Baptist school, though not all of their students would fit in that category. This whole issue is echoed in Hebrews 12:1-12. We aren’t called to be “snowflakes,” but to accept responsibility for our actions and be accountable to God, seeking His direction and following it, knowing that His will is always the best possible course.

This has been an issue all my life, and will continue to be so until I stand before God’s throne. Sometimes I have followed God’s guidance and been blessed, and sometimes I have rebelled and had to endure adversity and affliction. As I deal with others as a pastor, I am amazed at God’s patience toward us all. Although we may feel that we would like to “wash our hands” of people who stress us out, God doesn’t do that with us. I need to be more aware of that, and in gratitude express His grace toward everyone. It is often easier for me to see the best course for someone else than it is for them to see it, or for me to see my own best course. I need to walk in full humility, knowing that any genuine wisdom I might have comes from God, and anything that originates with me is going to be wrong. I am to accept the teachers He provides and not shy away from being used as a teacher for others, so that His will may be done and the Body of Christ built up, for His glory.

Father, thank You for this reminder. You have gifted me as a teacher, (Romans 12:6-8) with everything that involves. Help me be faithful in that, continually learning from You so that I may teach truth and not falsehood, for the blessing of many and for Your glory. Thank You. Praise God!

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Renewal; January 18, 2018

Posted on January 21, 2018 by jgarrott

Isaiah 26:19 But your dead will live;
their bodies will rise.
You who dwell in the dust,
wake up and shout for joy.
Your dew is like the dew of the morning;
the earth will give birth to her dead.

This is a pretty magnificent prophecy! It brings to mind the vision God gave Ezekiel of the valley of dry bones. (Ezekiel 37:1-14) What God was saying to both Isaiah and Ezekiel wasn’t necessarily physical resurrection, because our physical bodies eventually wear out, but He was talking about restoration and spiritual renewal in a hopeless situation. He was reminding the prophets, and us through them, of the reality that as Creator God, He can do anything at all. We have such trouble getting that through our heads! The specific line in this verse that strikes me is the instruction to “Wake up and shout for joy.” The Japanese says “sing for joy,” which appeals to me as a musician, but the message is clear in any case. We get so beaten down by circumstances sometimes it’s like we’re in a coma, but God is telling us to wake up and rejoice! The path of faith is to know that God is still God regardless of how things look to our five senses and our human intellect, and trust and praise Him for who He is. His plan is likely to be something we would never have dreamed up, but it will be good, and we need to trust Him with that.

This is spot on for what we have been through and where we are now as a church. In numbers we are down to what would barely qualify as a “home fellowship” in most places, but God has given us the vision of Omura again being the foremost Christian city in the nation. The difference between where we are now and where God is saying we are going to be is no less dramatic than resurrection! The point is to focus fully on God and His omnipotent love, forgetting our human frailty and failings, and rejoice in Him. It’s been several years now since He told me to rest, relax, and rejoice. I’m still learning how to do that. Over the past week and a half He has renewed me a great deal, but I still have plenty of room to grow as His child. I am to be grateful that He hasn’t given up on me, and won’t, and trust Him with the final outcome, both of my life and of this church.

Father, thank You for this reminder, and for all You are doing. It is remarkable to me how small, relatively insignificant things impact me at times. Help me receive the many signs of Your love and grace that You shower down on me, allowing You to strengthen me against every onslaught of the enemy, so that the devil’s schemes may be defeated and Your kingdom come indeed, for Your glory. Thank You. Hallelujah!

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Stewardship; January 17, 2018

Posted on January 19, 2018 by jgarrott

Isaiah 23:18 Yet her profit and her earnings will be set apart for the Lord; they will not be stored up or hoarded. Her profits will go to those who live before the Lord, for abundant food and fine clothes.

On the face of it, this is a very strange verse. The city of Tyre, one of the historic commercial hubs of the Mediterranean world, is spoken of as a prostitute. I take that as simply being willing to do anything to make a profit. There are plenty of people like that, who throw morality and everything else out the window because of their love of money. As Paul said, the love of money can cause just about every kind of evil. (1 Timothy 6:10) It is sadly ironic that many financially wealthy people are morally bankrupt. However, that’s not what this verse is dwelling on. This verse is saying that those immoral profits will go to bless those who have the right priorities. I don’t remember the details, but I heard a story about a mobster who gave a lot of money to a church, and the pastor was confronted about why he didn’t refuse the gift. His response was, “The devil has had this money long enough!” This verse would certainly seem to support that position. God supplies the needs of His people, and He sometimes uses what seem to us to be very strange means to do that. Another thing that strikes me about this verse is the reference to abundant food and fine clothes. Back then, the poor had neither. Today, even those “below the poverty line” in America live in what would have been considered luxury in times past. Rather than scarcity, obesity is a national problem. It would do us well to wake up to how abundant our lives are, to be better stewards and to give God the thanks and praise He deserves.

This applies to me as much as it does to anyone. I certainly live in what would have been considered “the lap of luxury” not that long ago. I have technology at my disposal that was literally the stuff of science fiction within my own lifetime, yet I take it for granted and complain when it doesn’t do what would have been considered miraculous not that long ago. I too need to put my focus on God’s kingdom and His righteousness (Matthew 6:33) rather than being distracted by all the stuff around me. I am to be careful that my own income is earned in ways that honor God, but not be surprised if God supplies resources in strange ways. The point is not to focus on the supply, but rather on what God wants me to do with it. It is possible to love money whether I have it or not, and such love will always be a snare.

Father, thank You for Your abundant supply. Help me recognize how much You have already blessed us and be appropriately grateful, not worrying about where the next supply is coming from but rather seeking how You want me to use what is already in my hands, to do Your will on Your schedule for Your glory. Thank You. Praise God!

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Receiving Salvation; January 16, 2018

Posted on January 18, 2018 by jgarrott

Isaiah 12:3 With joy you will draw water
from the wells of salvation.

This verse was first brought to my attention by Andrae Crouch, quoted in the process of a music/worship recording, and it has stuck in my mind and heart ever since. To me it brings to mind Jesus’ famous words, spoken in a loud voice at a festival in Jerusalem: “If anyone is thirsty, let him come to me and drink. Whoever believes in me, as the Scripture has said, streams of living water will flow from within him.” (John 7:37-38) John specifies that He was talking about the Holy Spirit, whereas Isaiah is speaking of salvation. English Bibles generally say “wells of salvation,” but the Japanese says “springs.” People in the Middle East are very aware that water is necessary for life, because it isn’t always easy to come by. Jesus famously told a Samaritan woman that He could provide living water, (John 4:10) and Revelation has a marvelously comforting statement. “For the Lamb at the center of the throne will be their shepherd; he will lead them to springs of living water. And God will wipe away every tear from their eyes.” (Revelation 7:17) One phrase in this verse from Isaiah strikes me just now, and that is the verb, “will draw.” What that speaks to me is that there is volition involved; we choose to receive the water. I often tell people that God provided salvation for all mankind through the cross of Jesus Christ, but we have to choose to repent and believe in order to receive that salvation; God doesn’t force it on us. I personally feel this doesn’t just apply to the initial experience of salvation, but to the whole of Christian life. God always has more blessings for us, but we generally have to choose to receive them for them to be operative in our lives. Sometimes we fail to receive because in our ignorance we want something else, and sometimes we fail to receive because we think we “aren’t worthy,” or something of the sort. Pure faith accepts God’s valuation of things, both of us and of our circumstances, and so rejoices to receive all that God provides.

I certainly see this principle in action all the time, both in myself and in those around me. Sometimes I grieve at those who won’t receive, for whatever reason, and I know that God grieves even more, but I am guilty of the same thing at times. As a little child, I need to receive what my Father has for me, responding to Him in grateful obedience. He has poured out more blessings on me than I could possibly count, and I need to trust that He will continue to do so, in the way that is absolutely best for me.

Father, thank You for Your truly amazing grace. Help me not reject it in any way, but receive and transmit it as You intend, giving You the thanks, praise, and glory that are due You so that many more will be drawn to Your salvation as well. Thank You. Hallelujah!

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Aging; January 15, 2018

Posted on January 18, 2018 by jgarrott

Ecclesiastes 12:1, 7 Remember your Creator
in the days of your youth,
before the days of trouble come
and the years approach when you will say,
“I find no pleasure in them”—
and the dust returns to the ground it came from,
and the spirit returns to God who gave it.

The first part of verse one is quoted a good bit to young people, but the passage as a whole is a very depressing picture of aging. It shows that Solomon sought his joy in the wrong places, or he would not have found his senior years to be so gray. At the end of his litany of negatives he does make one very important acknowledgment: our spirits come from God, and return to Him when our bodies are finished. If he had acted on that understanding consistently throughout his life he would not have found it to be meaningless, as he says in verse eight. It has been pointed out that whereas average life expectancy has grown by leaps and bounds over the past century, if you could avoid wars and certain diseases, you had about an equal chance of living to advanced age back then as you do now. Then as now, the big question is whether you grow old well. Since Solomon didn’t do it, the key is obviously not in wealth (though having resources certainly doesn’t hurt). I am convinced the key to aging well lies in the first verse of this passage, and that is remembering our Creator. It does little good to think of God when young and then forget Him as we age. Apparently that is exactly what Solomon did. If we remember Him and order our lives in relation to Him, He provides joy and satisfaction “from cradle to grave,” as the saying goes. When we see Him in all of life and live in gratitude for His grace and mercy, then all the physical things that tend to accompany aging are minor in our awareness and priorities. When we understand how much He loves us and what He has prepared for us, then we know that our troubles are indeed “light and momentary,” (2 Corinthians 4:17) and much easier to put up with.

I am very aware of this issue, since I am currently 69, and my wife is not only a few months older, she also has Parkinson’s Disease as well as the after effects of brain surgery. Those things aren’t fun, but when viewed from the perspective of God’s love and grace, they don’t eclipse the many joys and pleasures God still has for us. I will be going to the doctor this morning for an inner ear issue that came up again a couple of days ago, but that too will pass. The point is that God still has us here according to His plan, and His plans are always good. (Jeremiah 29:11) We are to receive each day from His hand, looking forward to the blessings He has prepared and being grateful for them even ahead of time, in faith that they will be good indeed.

Father, thank You for this reminder. It really fleshes out the message You have for me to give at the interdenominational prayer breakfast on Wednesday. Help me recognize and make full use of every opportunity You give me to bless others with Your truth, so that the lies of the enemy may be defeated and people built up, for Your glory. Thank You. Hallelujah!

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Things; January 14, 2018

Posted on January 16, 2018 by jgarrott

Ecclesiastes 5:11 As goods increase,
so do those who consume them.
And what benefit are they to the owner
except to feast his eyes on them?

Over the past two years I have really had this truth brought home to me as we have helped someone move out of their house where they had lived for many years. I was overwhelmed by the sheer quantity of things, physical objects that perhaps had intrinsic value and perhaps not, but which did no good to the owner at this point. Even so, the owner had great difficulty letting go of it all, even though, at 80, they got no benefit from them. Up to that point they had largely measured their life by possessions, and the reality that “you can’t take it with you” was no more than words to them. That was a powerful and beneficial lesson for me. Solomon had discovered the futility of material wealth, but he never seems to have discovered the immeasurable benefits of spiritual wealth. That’s one of the reasons his life was essentially a tragedy. As Jesus said, “Do not store up for yourselves treasures on earth, where moth and rust destroy, and where thieves break in and steal. But store up for yourselves treasures in heaven, where moth and rust do not destroy, and where thieves do not break in and steal. For where your treasure is, there your heart will be also.” (Matthew 6:19-21) Spiritual treasure is good for a lot more than just looking at it!

I was raised by parents who essentially lived by Matthew 6:33. “But seek first his kingdom and his righteousness, and all these things will be given to you as well.” That gave me a huge advantage in developing a Biblical world view myself. I can’t say my parents didn’t want material things, or that they didn’t accumulate a good bit of them. I inherited quite a few items myself, but the question becomes, what to do with them now, since my descendants have no interest in them? Physical objects are ultimately ephemeral, which seems like a contradiction to our natural self, because physical is the opposite of ephemeral. However, God is the “ground of being,” and He is spiritual and not physical. I am learning more and more that physical objects are never more than tools. What is important is the souls of human beings, and our relationship with our Creator. I have been blessed on more levels than even I am aware, but every one of those blessings is to be held loosely, keeping it available to my Lord for Him to use as He sees fit. Not just material things, but physical and mental abilities and even life itself are ultimately His, and I am to live in active recognition of and gratitude for it all.

Father, thank You for all that You allow me to go through to teach me what is really important. Help me be a faithful steward of all You place in my hands, for as long as You want me to deal with it. May I rejoice to serve You however You direct, and not try to hang onto things when You say that time has past. May my attitudes and actions point people to You consistently, for their salvation and Your glory. Thank You. Praise God!

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Motives; January 13, 2018

Posted on January 16, 2018 by jgarrott

Ecclesiastes 2:18 I hated all the things I had toiled for under the sun, because I must leave them to the one who comes after me.

Solomon’s motives really stank! He was so self-centered and selfish that the idea of leaving what he had worked for to someone else, even his own son, got all over him. How pathetic! It’s no wonder he was so terribly unhappy, because selfishness never leads to happiness. That attitude wasn’t unusual then, and it isn’t unusual now. The Book of Daniel lets us know that “Oh king, live forever,” was a standard greeting for rulers, and rulers in Egypt and China and other places did all they thought they could to “take it with them” into the afterlife. Again, how pathetic! Solomon’s wisdom told him that a person who yields everything to God has the most happiness, as he says in verses 24-26 of this very chapter, but his selfishness kept him from doing it himself. It has been rightly said that there is no success without a successor, especially in any leadership role, but Solomon, for all his vaunted wisdom, couldn’t see that. The answer to the dilemma he expresses here is to do everything for God, rather than for your successor or even for yourself. Paul addressed that wisdom to slaves, who on the surface of things had to do everything for their masters. “Whatever you do, work at it with all your heart, as working for the Lord, not for men, since you know that you will receive an inheritance from the Lord as a reward. It is the Lord Christ you are serving.” (Colossians 3:23-24) A person who does that can find satisfaction, fulfillment, and joy in whatever they set their hands to do.

This certainly applies to me, especially since the matter of a successor is increasingly urgent. I have had multiple potential successors over my years of ministry, but each has gone off in one way or another, and I currently have no obvious candidate. That’s not to say I’m to give up, either in seeking a successor or in applying myself to the work at hand. I am indeed to work at everything with all my heart, not for any lesser motive but as a sacrifice of thanksgiving to the Lord Himself. Doing my best for Him is the least I can do, considering all that He has done for me. That has the added benefit of the assurance that if I am doing His work, He will supply everything needed for it. He even supplies the necessary will in me to get it done! (Philippians 2:13) There is no greater pleasure and satisfaction than doing God’s work in fellowship with Him by His Spirit.

Father, thank You for this reminder. The devil works overtime to distract me from this reality. Help me indeed submit fully to You and resist him firmly, just as You have said to do. (James 4:7) May I do Your will in Your way on Your schedule, today and every day, producing Your results for Your glory. Thank You. Hallelujah!

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The Fear of the Lord; January 12, 2018

Posted on January 15, 2018 by jgarrott

Proverbs 30:7-9 “Two things I ask of you, O Lord;
do not refuse me before I die:
Keep falsehood and lies far from me;
give me neither poverty nor riches,
but give me only my daily bread.
Otherwise, I may have too much and disown you
and say, ‘Who is the Lord?’
Or I may become poor and steal,
and so dishonor the name of my God.”

If the attribution is right, then Agur son of Jakeh was a wise man. We human beings have a strong tendency to think, when things are going well, that we don’t need help from anyone. That can lead to all sorts of problems, both in interpersonal relationships and spiritually. The simple fact of the matter is that everything in existence is totally dependent on the will and grace of God. He spoke it all into being (Genesis 1) and He could extinguish it with equal ease. When we forget that, we fall into all sorts of traps because of the lies of the devil. Recently there has been a spate of revelations about the abuse of the weak by the powerful. This is nothing new, but has been going on since the dawn of history. The course of wisdom is humble recognition that God is real and we are accountable to Him. The Japanese, for all their polytheism, have a very accurate aphorism: “We don’t live, but we are caused to live.” The moment God removed His support, anything and/or everything in the universe would cease to exist. The better we grasp that, the more grateful and obedient we will be toward Him. I think that is the true meaning of “The fear of the Lord” that the Old Testament mentions so frequently. It is indeed ironic that when we are materially blessed we tend to forget that. Like Agur, we need to remember it, in order to live genuinely successful lives.

I have as much of a tendency to ignore God as anyone. My mother had an expression that is very picturesque: “Independent as a hog on ice.” In other words, totally out of control. The very abundance of abilities with which God has blessed me have caused me to be proud, thinking and feeling I could go it alone. I learned quite a while back that I couldn’t get along without God, but I have been slower to realize how much I need other people. Sometimes I feel like I would like to live on a desert island with just my wife! Thankfully, she is one of the most social, genuinely loving people on earth, and she has taught me a lot about getting along with others. That said, I am still much more comfortable giving help than receiving it, even though I get tired of helping others! At the moment I’m running into computer problems, which is an appropriate blow to my pride because I have worked as a computer consultant. I need to recognize my total dependence on God in every area of my life, thanking Him for His grace and not complaining about the trials/training exercises He puts me through. I genuinely desire to be fully useful to Him, and I need to trust Him with whatever it takes to make me that way.

Father, thank You for Your grace toward me, and toward us all. Help me receive Your grace in all humility and transmit it unstintingly to those around me, so that Your will may be done in and through me, for Your glory. Thank You. Praise God!

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God’s Sovereignty; January 11, 2018

Posted on January 15, 2018 by jgarrott

Proverbs 16:9 In his heart a man plans his course,
but the Lord determines his steps.

Proverbs has a lot to say about the sovereignty of God. In this chapter alone, verses 1, 2, 3, 7, and 9 touch on it. However, it’s this verse that resonates most with me at the moment. Perhaps that’s because the Japanese expression in the first half is so expressive of my own experience. The NIV says “plans,” but the Japanese says “mulls over.” A literal translation would be, “wanders around in thought.” I couldn’t begin to calculate, even, how many times I’ve done that! We spend great amounts of time going over things again and again in our minds. I even made a tongue twister out of it: “I think I thought this thing through thoroughly.” (I teach pronunciation to speach therapists, and use a lot of tongue twisters.) However, much of that is entirely futile, because we don’t keep God in focus as we consider things. The second half of the verse is also a little more pointed in Japanese: “The Lord makes his walk sure.” In other words, we can create all sorts of pipe dreams, but God is the one who brings thing to pass. This also applies in the negative. “He thwarts the plans of the crafty, so that their hands achieve no success.” (Job 5:12) “The Lord foils the plans of the nations; he thwarts the purposes of the peoples.” (Psalm 33:10) The wisest course, always, is to seek God for what He wants to do, and for the part He wants you to have in that, and then apply yourself fully in obedience to Him.

I have lost countless hours of sleep running over things in my mind, when what I needed to do was release things to God and trust Him with them. God allows circumstances that provoke me to that precisely to teach me to let Him be God. It’s not that I have no part in what I do; I am totally accountable to God for every moment of my life. It’s also not that I’m never to plan things out. I have a tendency in that direction, and it doesn’t end well! I am to plan and prepare, but always in submission and obedience to God. If God said to do it, that settles it. My responsibility is to seek Him for how to do it, and not to hold anything back in my obedience to Him. God has given me a vision of Omura again being the foremost Christian city in Japan, as it was over 450 years ago. I couldn’t begin to bring that about in my own strength and wisdom, but that doesn’t mean I don’t have anything to do with its coming about. The past 15 months have been intensive training in this area, and the score card isn’t complete as to how I’ve done. I need to keep remembering that God’s plans for me are good, (Jeremiah 29:11) and that He’s the one who brings things to pass, as this verse says.

Father, thank You for this reminder. Thank You for all You have done already this week to heal and reassure us after the battering we have endured. I continue to pray that Your will would be accomplished on Your schedule and that we would be fully obedient in our participation, for the salvation of many and for Your glory. Thank You. Hallelujah!

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