Stewardship; August 13, 2017

Posted on August 18, 2017 by jgarrott

2 Chronicles 1:7 That night God appeared to Solomon and said to him, “Ask for whatever you want me to give you.”

There are moments, I think in every person’s life, at which we have to decide what we want. Counselors of all sorts have to ask this question, because there is no real forward motion without a goal. Solomon famously asked for wisdom, which was a far better thing to ask for than any of a number of possibilities, but then once he had it, he didn’t use it very well. We are responsible not only for what we seek, but for what we do with whatever we get. Few of us get the kind of blank check Solomon was given, but we all need to examine our goals and our stewardship. “Stewardship” is most often used in church settings in relation to money, but it applies to everything we have. As Paul rightly pointed out, “It is required that those who have been given a trust must prove faithful.” (1 Corinthians 4:2) The King James puts that as, “It is required in stewards, that a man be found faithful,” and that’s where we get the whole terminology of “stewardship.” The whole point of a steward is that he manages stuff that doesn’t belong to him. Frankly, we have trouble with that. We tend to think of the abilities and resources we have on hand as ours, to be used however we like. However, the Biblical perspective is that since God created everything, it belongs to Him and we only have use of it for a while. Sadly, not very many people really live that way, but for those that do, there is doubtless abundant reward. (Matthew 25:21, 23)

One time I had an experience similar to Solomon’s, and at this point I don’t know if I responded rightly. I was having a very intense, rather free-form prayer meeting with just a couple of other believers, and I felt like the Lord was telling me, “Ask for anything.” I asked for the salvation of a particular individual who had been coming to our English Bible Class. Within a couple of weeks, he announced that He wanted to be baptized, and he has given evidence since that he is genuinely saved. At this point, I wonder what would have happened had I asked for the city of Omura, or even the nation of Japan! Also, that particular believer was successfully pulled away from church attendance/participation by his non-believing wife. I don’t know if I was faithful as a steward of that soul that was placed in my care. There are various gifts and abilities I have been given that I am pretty sure I’ve not been good at stewarding. I am dependent on the grace and mercy of God. However, recognizing that dependence is a huge blessing, and I am grateful.

Father, You are the judge of my life. Thank You for never leaving me alone, either in the sense of abandoning me or of giving up on me. Thank You for the multiple opportunities You give me for learning what You are trying to teach me. Help me make full use of every opportunity, (Ephesians 5:16) so that Your purposes may be accomplished on Your schedule for Your glory. Thank You. Praise God!

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

Giving to God; August 12, 2017

Posted on August 18, 2017 by jgarrott

1 Chronicles 29:14 “But who am I, and who are my people, that we should be able to give as generously as this? Everything comes from you, and we have given you only what comes from your hand.”

The truth that David expresses here is one we have a hard time remembering. We are quick to try to bargain with God, offering Him something if He will do something for us. When it came from Him in the first place, what sense is that? Or, we think that because we have given stuff to Him, He is somehow obligated to us. That is likewise absurd. All we can genuinely offer to God is our obedience, and that is due Him anyway. Good parents do thank their children for obedience, but it’s something the children should do even without being thanked. What we can offer to God that is pleasing to Him is humility, gratitude, and praise. All of those actually bless us probably as much as they bless God. We are so much better off when we can abandon pride, countless studies have demonstrated that genuine happiness is predicated on an attitude of gratitude, and every genuine believer has experienced how good it feels to praise God. God doesn’t ask these things of us because He needs them, emotionally or otherwise, but because we do. Likewise, He doesn’t ask us to give materially because He needs anything, but because we benefit from the experience of giving. We need to remember that because God is infinite, there is no such thing as a “zero-sum game” in His economy. Giving to Him is a recognition that He is the Source of everything, and a participation in His nature.

This is a very relevant issue for us right now, as we are planning something at God’s direction that is going to take a lot of money. We are to give and we are to allow others to give, but we’ve got to remember that God is the source of it all. He is the Source not only of the finances, but also of the wisdom and skill necessary not only to build it but to operate it. We give that fact lip service, but much of the time we are either anxious (when we don’t see the supply) or proud (when we think we have met the need). I can’t control anyone else’ heart, but I can pray for them, and I must keep watch over my own heart. I am not to be presumptuous, but I am to trust God totally. He made it all, and He’s going to arrange it to fulfill His purposes.

Father, thank You for this reminder. I keep creating scenarios in my mind of how You might supply this or that, but I seldom get it right. Help me release it all to You and indeed rest, relax, and rejoice, as You have told me to do, so that all of Your purposes may be fulfilled on Your schedule for Your glory. Thank You. Hallelujah!

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

The Joy of Giving; August 11, 2017

Posted on August 15, 2017 by jgarrott

1 Chronicles 29:9 The people rejoiced at the willing response of their leaders, for they had given freely and wholeheartedly to the Lord. David the king also rejoiced greatly.

The fact of the matter is, there is joy in giving. Paul quotes Jesus as saying, “It is more blessed to give than to receive.” (Acts 20:35) The devil does all he can to hide that truth from people, because avarice, covetousness, and selfishness are some of his favorite weapons for destroying lives. This is timeless truth, but in recent years scientific studies have been done that show the surest way to be happy is regularly to do good things for other people. Giving materially is just one of those good things, but it is an important one. It really boils down to practical expressions of love. Love in the abstract is extremely hard to define, because genuine love will be active. When Jesus defined the two greatest commandments as love for God and love for our neighbor, (Matthew 22:36-40) all of this fits together very logically. Some people are givers because of their motivational gifting, (Romans 12:6-8) and taken to extremes that can cause problems for them and for their families, but those of us who are not so gifted need to learn the joy of giving. When we are rightly related to God, we realize that His supply is quite literally infinite, and as we give we are merely acting as channels for that supply. That’s not to say that we are to be indiscriminate in our giving; there’s such a thing as damaging by giving. Some people are finally waking up to the reality that inappropriate giving can destroy motivation, initiative, and even morality, as is so evident in the US welfare system. Sometimes the best gift we can give someone is firm encouragement, without any material toys. That takes wisdom and strength of character, and can be hard, but we must not let that deter us from the joy of being an agent of God’s supply.

This is of course extremely applicable to us right now. We are in need of fairly major supply of funds in relation to the project the Lord is leading us into, but we must not let that blind us to the opportunities He gives us to supply others’ needs. We must not let our own needs blind us to how the Lord wants to use us to bless others. We’ve got to remember that God is never at a loss about anything. He wants to bless us and many others through this project into which He’s leading us. We need to give, and we need to allow others to give as well. I need to teach on giving, and not forget to give myself – and give of myself. God wants us all to have the joy of giving.

Father, thank You for this very timely reminder. I pray that You would show me how to market my photography better, so that I will have more to give. Thank You for the response to my current show. Keep me from being self-centered about anything, but rather honor Jesus as Lord in every detail, for Your glory. Thank You. Praise God!

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

God Cares!; August 10, 2017

Posted on August 15, 2017 by jgarrott

1 Chronicles 28:19 “All this,” David said, “I have in writing from the hand of the Lord upon me, and he gave me understanding in all the details of the plan.”

When we look at everything listed in verses 12-18, our eyes tend to glaze over at all the detail. From this passage it seems clear that, though Solomon supervised the actual construction, this was David’s temple through and through. The important point, though, is that it was God who directed it all by His Spirit, as it says explicitly in verse 12. God cares about every detail of our lives, and He gives us as much direction as we need. Much of it doesn’t much matter, like what color of socks to wear on a given day, but even such insignificant things as that can impact how people react to us, so God cares. We aren’t to go OCD about it all, but we do need to remember that God cares, all the way down to the number of hairs on our head. (Luke 12:6-7)

This is a matter of great relevance to us right now. We aren’t planning to build a temple, but the elder-care facility we are planning should be no less dedicated to God. There are an amazing number of details involved, and God not only cares about each one, He will give us the wisdom and guidance necessary to make all the right decisions. It’s all part of the great mystery of faith, free will, and predestination. God already knows what we are going to do, because He is outside of time and sees the end from the beginning. That’s why He always knows what is best, because He sees all the repercussions. That’s also why He cares, because He is love and He desires the very best for His children. We need to ask Him every question and receive all His answers. The biggest reason we don’t recognize His guidance is that we have already decided in our own heart what we want to do. I must stand my guard against that, choosing to yield every issue to Him. That doesn’t mean I don’t care, any more that Jesus didn’t care in the Garden of Gethsemane. Rather, it means that I must choose obedience to God just as firmly as Jesus did, so that God’s plans may be fulfilled in every detail, for His glory.

Father, thank You for this very timely Word. Thank You for speaking it through me just now as I was in charge of this morning’s prayer meeting, even though I hadn’t finished my personal time with You. Thank You that I have no reason to be anxious about anything at all, because You care about it more than I do. (1 Peter 5:7) Hallelujah!

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

Solomon’s Pride; August 9, 2017

Posted on August 14, 2017 by jgarrott

1 Chronicles 28:9 “And you, my son Solomon, acknowledge the God of your father, and serve him with wholehearted devotion and with a willing mind, for the Lord searches every heart and understands every motive behind the thoughts. If you seek him, he will be found by you; but if you forsake him, he will reject you forever.”

David really laid it on the line to Solomon in this formal ceremony of succession, but Solomon took it as a ceremony rather than as personal reality. I really think Solomon’s downfall was his pride. He was greatly blessed and gifted, but instead of recognizing God’s grace toward him he thought he somehow deserved all he had. He felt – whether or not he consciously thought – that all of those things made him above all the rules. That is a sadly common thing. Today we are seeing lots of people who think they are above the law, that their wealth or political connections or whatever make them immune to the rules that govern everyone else. Just yesterday I was reading an article that said better-educated people are actually more likely to try various drugs than people with less education. I think that’s part of the same phenomenon. Solomon was so gifted, in intellect and a number of other areas, and so blessed materially and in social position, that he felt he was above not just the laws of the land – which he made – but above the laws of God. To me that makes him one of the most pathetic figures in the whole Bible, because he squandered it all. His father David was very aware, as he made clear even during this ceremony, (verse 4) that everything he had was God’s doing and not his own; the best he could do was cooperate and not get in the way of what God had planned. Had Solomon possessed that sort of humility, who knows how glorious the story of Israel would have been down through history. God ultimately redeemed it all through David and Solomon’s descendant Jesus, but there was incredible suffering and destruction along the way. Today we need to remember that even those who make rules and laws are not above the laws of God, or even the laws they insist everyone else follow.

This has always been an issue for me. My life has been a battle between feelings of inferiority/rejection because I’ve never been good at sports, for example, and pride to the point of hubris because of my intellect and other gifting. Neither side of that has done me any good! My identity is in Christ, so it matters very little how people evaluate me, (1 Corinthians 4:3-4) but every good thing about me is a demonstration of the grace of God, not something I have earned. I am not to deny or ignore what God has done for me, but I am not to think or feel that makes me better than others in terms of my value before God. I am certainly not to think it gives me the right to ignore God’s commands! Because this has been a struggle for me it makes it easy for me to spot it in others. I am not to look down on them, certainly, but speak the truth to them in love, and pray for them that they may receive it.

Father, thank You for this reminder this morning. With the photo show that started yesterday, people are saying lots of complimentary things about me. Help me point each of them to You, so that You may receive all the glory. Thank You. Praise God!

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

Music/Worship/Prophecy; August 8, 2017

Posted on August 14, 2017 by jgarrott

1 Chronicles 25:1 David, together with the commanders of the army, set apart some of the sons of Asaph, Heman and Jeduthun for the ministry of prophesying, accompanied by harps, lyres and cymbals.

One word in this verse blows me out of the water: prophesying. I have to say that their usage of the term isn’t the same as how I use it! From this and other passages, “ecstatic utterance” would perhaps be a better term, particularly considering such incidents as Saul prophesying. (1 Samuel 10:10-13) What is without question is that these men were designated musicians, and music is closely associated with worship. Again, several places in the Old Testament associate music with prophecy. (2 Kings 3:14-15) It is certainly true that music stimulates emotion. Many churches today have incorporated “worship teams” in their services, actually much along the lines of what we have here. The danger in that is that all too often it becomes a matter of performance, rather than genuine worship, and with everything happening on stage, the congregation participates little if at all. That’s not worship! We know next to nothing about the men mentioned here, but we have some of the Psalms they wrote, and there were certainly many who loved the Lord in all sincerity. On the whole subject of music/worship/prophecy, it is entirely possible to manipulate a group of people through music. Sometimes the Holy Spirit will move powerfully through a particular song, but sometimes it’s just the “worship leader” seeking to manipulate people. The awkward thing there is that there is a real gift and skill to selecting the music for a service, in terms of the flow of keys, rhythms, and lyrics. The difference between an anointed “worship set” and one that was thrown together can be painfully obvious. There is a real element of the prophetic in leading worship, and it needs to kick in during the preparation time as well as in the actual service. Church musicians should be committed to excellence, but have a constant battle with pride. They must remember that they are not there as performers, but as worshipers. Only then will the Lord be pleased with what they offer.

I am a musician, but as pastor my role gets complicated. I have the strongest voice in the church, but if I’m showing off I’m not worshiping. As pastor, one of my vital roles is that of Chief Worshiper. If I’m not worshiping in Spirit and in truth, how can I expect the congregation to do so? Sometimes I’m distracted by any of a number of things, and have to make a very conscious effort to focus on worship. It’s always worth the effort! I desire that the messages I speak be prophetic, expressing what God is saying, but that is not likely to happen if my heart is not worshiping humbly before my Lord. Not everyone comes from a musical family the way I do. I am not to demand perfection in music from anyone in the congregation, but I am to encourage genuine worship. God can deal with people’s senses of pitch and rhythm! I am to foster an environment where God will delight to inhabit His people’s praises.

Father, thank You for this reminder. Thank You for the musical part of the magnificent heritage You have given me. May my use of music always be as You intend, drawing people to You for their salvation and Your glory. Thank You. Praise God!

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

Getting God’s Directions; August 7, 2017

Posted on August 9, 2017 by jgarrott

1 Chronicles 14:13-16 Once more the Philistines raided the valley; so David inquired of God again, and God answered him, “Do not go straight up, but circle round them and attack them in front of the balsam trees. As soon as you hear the sound of marching in the tops of the balsam trees, move out to battle, because that will mean God has gone out in front of you to strike the Philistine army.” So David did as God commanded him, and they struck down the Philistine army, all the way from Gibeon to Gezer.

We’ve seen it elsewhere, but the secret of David’s consistent victories in battle was that he consistently sought God’s direction. He had just had a very successful encounter with the Philistines, and the natural human tendency would have been to do the same maneuver, expecting the same results. However, David asked God again what he should do, and God gave him a different strategy, and he was even more successful. We tend to get into ruts, following “standard operating procedure,” too lazy to seek God at every turn. Standard procedures aren’t bad necessarily, but we need to be in a constant, consistent attitude of seeking God, listening for how He wants us to do things. The easy thing is to repeat what worked the last time – or even what didn’t work – but God wants better for us. Sometimes He will indeed say, “Do the same thing,” but we are not to presume. The whole point is to recognize our dependence on God and act on it, rather than relying on whatever He has done for us in the past.

This is extremely pertinent to us right now. Each time we as a church have made a major move, particularly in terms of buildings and land, someone has left the church. That is actually not at all unusual among churches in general, and we’re having it come up again. This time, however, our response has been different, and I think the ultimate results will be different. Yesterday there was an announcement of departure, but it was met with an outpouring of love, in strong contrast to some past times. I personally think the final result will be very different. We are in new territory in many ways, but the pain of people leaving is all too familiar. Whether the situation we face is new or old, we need to seek God for His directions. Following God is an adventure, and we need to treat it that way. As I grow older the familiar and comfortable are more and more attractive, but God is too good a Father to leave me as I am and where I am. He wants me to keep growing! The Bible speaks many times of God being our “hiding place.” That’s directly equivalent to a storm cellar or safe room in tornado country. I am not to fear the storms that threaten, nor try to retreat into the physically and emotionally familiar, but rather find my security in God Himself, doing exactly as He directs and being anxious about nothing. He told me personally to rest, relax, and rejoice, and I keep learning more of what that’s all about, as well as how to do it. I’m to trust Him, even when He says, “you have never been this way before.” (Joshua 3:4)

Father, thank You for all You did yesterday. It was magnificent on several levels. Help me indeed fear nothing, but move forward in humble obedience, knowing that Your plans aren’t just good, they’re perfect! Thank You. Praise God!

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

God’s Control; August 6, 2017

Posted on August 9, 2017 by jgarrott

2 Kings 23:25 Neither before nor after Josiah was there a king like him who turned to the Lord as he did—with all his heart and with all his soul and with all his strength, in accordance with all the Law of Moses.

Reformation is hard work. David had his troubles, but if anything he suffered from success, because he grew spiritually lax and fell badly on a personal level that echoed down through the generations. Josiah, on the other hand, came to the throne of a kingdom that was amazingly corrupt, and he dedicated himself fully to cleaning it up. The Church in America today is more in need of Josiahs than Davids. Josiah’s one failure was in passing his faith and commitment on to his children, and that is sad indeed. It is interesting to realize that Josiah’s death in battle was part of God’s reward to him for his dedication. We don’t think of death as a reward, but Josiah was spared all the mess that came after that, and he doubtless received a welcome with the saints. Our perspective on everything, including ourselves, is limited and distorted. That’s why God’s ways and thoughts are so much higher than ours. (Isaiah 55:9) The only logical response is to yield everything to Him and walk in humble, grateful obedience, rejoicing that He is God and He is love.

Like everyone else, I am faced with a multitude of complex situations, only some of which I can impact directly. Refusing to be anxious is certainly Biblical, but it’s also certainly not easy. As I tell others, I need to choose faith and choose obedience, because by doing so I will choose peace, joy, and fulfillment. My days are in God’s hands, and that’s a very good thing. I am to apply myself fully to every task He sets before me, not running from anything but not chasing after other things either. We are in the beginning stages of a huge project (from my viewpoint) that hopefully will last long after I’m gone. At the same time, I am to continue planting and watering God’s Word, trusting Him for the harvest in His time. I am not to be focused on myself and what I do, but on God and what He does, keeping myself available as His instrument for however He might choose to use me.

Father, thank You for being God. Thank You that the typhoon, that was supposed to bring us gale force winds by this afternoon, seems to have missed us completely. I pray that the wind of Your Spirit would blow through each church in the city, blowing away the junk and rearranging things as You know they need to be, so that we may be available and useful to You, for Your glory. Thank You. Praise God!

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

Spiritual Generations; August 5, 2017

Posted on August 7, 2017 by jgarrott

2 Kings 23:3 The king stood by the pillar and renewed the covenant in the presence of the Lord—to follow the Lord and keep his commands, regulations and decrees with all his heart and all his soul, thus confirming the words of the covenant written in this book. Then all the people pledged themselves to the covenant.

As the saying goes, the proof of the pudding is in the eating. Josiah proceeded to follow through like no other king recorded in the Bible. The shocking thing to me is the listing of all the things he had to dispose of in order to return to the Mosaic covenant. All the things listed, even from within Jerusalem and even the temple itself, boggle the mind. Verse 13 points out the huge influence Solomon’s idolatry had, because that gave the green light to the rest of the nation to do likewise. This verse says that “All the people pledged themselves to the covenant,” but it had to have been just the leaders, because the whole population of Judah couldn’t have been there physically. Given all of this, it’s all the more tragic that Josiah’s descendants after this did not follow his example of dedication to the Lord. Parenting was one of the weakest points of kings in those days. That’s probably one reason the mothers of the kings are mentioned so frequently, because they evidently had far more influence than the fathers did. Running a kingdom is important, but as Paul points out, how can a man who can’t run his own household properly run anything else well? (1 Timothy 3:5) At least today some people are waking up to the importance of this, and some men are standing up as the husbands and fathers God intends them to be.

As a husband, father, and pastor (spiritual father), this certainly applies to me. I have the incredible blessing of being the product of generations, on both sides of my family, who loved God and served Him faithfully. Very few people have the sort of spiritual head start I was given, so the question of accountability is all the more intense for me. What have I done with my spiritual heritage? How well have I passed it on to my physical and spiritual descendants? God is the judge of that, but I must stay aware that those are questions asked of me. I am to be faithful, not just for my own sake but for the sake of all who are influenced by me, and that is a huge number. In school teaching alone I have literally thousands of former students. Because I have taught at private schools exclusively, I have been free to pray for my students at the beginning of each class period, but even so I haven’t had even a single student commit to Christ and be baptized in this church. I am not to give up, but trust God with the seed He has allowed me to plant. It will be very interesting to discover in heaven what God has done with all of that.

Father, You know better than I do how I have been tempted to give up many times over the years. Thank You for Your faithfulness that has enabled me to be faithful. I do pray for my descendants, physical and spiritual, that they would recognize their dependence on You and rejoice in Your love, walking in obedience not out of obligation but out of gratitude, for their blessing and Your glory. Thank You. Hallelujah!

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

Relating to the Bible; August 4, 2017

Posted on August 6, 2017 by jgarrott

2 Kings 22:8 Hilkiah the high priest said to Shaphan the secretary, “I have found the Book of the Law in the temple of the Lord.” He gave it to Shaphan, who read it.

It seems incredible to us that the Law of Moses would have gotten misplaced in the temple of the Lord, but that shows how far the nation had fallen spiritually. One factor was that books in general were rare and valuable, because each one had to be hand-copied, but that should have ensured that the scroll be kept in a safe place of honor. Actually, it’s possible that it was, but people had just forgotten that it was there. That’s actually the case in many American households today. They have a Bible or two on the shelf, or even on the coffee table, but it becomes part of the décor and is never opened and consulted. That brings to mind a question my seminary professor grandfather regularly asked his students: how big is your Bible? They would naturally protest, “Why Dr. Carver, it’s at least as big as yours, or maybe a little bigger.” He would respond, “I’m not talking about what’s in your hand, but what’s in your heart.” With electronic versions available for smart phones, today it’s possible to have a Bible with you constantly, but if you aren’t taking it into your heart to do it, it does you no good. I have read a statistic that a majority of pastors, even, never read the Bible except to prepare sermons. In such cases, it’s highly probable the sermons aren’t much good! From the time of Moses onward, people of God stressed that God’s Word is to be in our hearts and mouths. (Deuteronomy 30:14) If we aren’t taking it in and digesting it to do it, to make it part of ourselves, then we are only deceiving ourselves. (James 1:22) In today’s passage, the people and even the priests had been going through the motions of temple worship and the like, but with no grasp of the meaning of what they were doing or what lay behind it. Today there are many people who go to church strictly as an obligation, with no personal relationship to the Lord they say they worship. That’s the very definition of meaningless religion.

As a pastor, this is a matter of great importance, even urgency, for me. I have considerable knowledge of the Bible, but if I’m not living it out I’m deceiving myself. I desire that the believers be faithful, but if they’re faithful to the church without being faithful to God the other six days of the week, it’s meaningless. I prefer the term, believers, to calling them members, but if their faith is in an organization rather than in a Savior, it again is meaningless. My challenge is to lead each one to discover how much God loves them individually, and then to respond to that in loving obedience. I strive to get as much of the Word into them as possible, but chewing, swallowing, and digesting are their responsibility. I certainly can’t force them to do any of that, so I am to pray for them that their hearts may be open to the Holy Spirit who will do those things in them. After all, He’s the Author of the Bible, so who better to interpret it to us in ways we can understand and apply?

Father, thank You for this Word, and for clarifying what I am to speak on this Sunday. It’s interesting that preaching less often makes it harder to prepare messages. Help me indeed transmit what You speak to me so that nothing will stop the flow, but many be blessed, for Your glory. Thank You. Praise God!

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