October 16, 2016

Posted on October 21, 2016 by jgarrott

Luke 6:36 “Be merciful, just as your Father is merciful.”

In a sense this sums up the preceding 9 verses, and it brings to mind another slightly more famous command to be like God: “Be Holy, because I, the Lord your God, am holy.” (Leviticus 18:2) It is mind-boggling that we are called, commanded, to be like God. After all, we are finite and He is infinite; we are fallible and He is infallible. The list could go on and on. However, we forget that we are created in His image (Genesis 1:27) and thus are logically supposed to be like Him. We can’t possibly do it in our own strength, but by His grace His character can indeed be manifested in and through us, if we will be fully submitted to Him. The whole issue of human free will comes into sharp focus here. We can’t do it on our own, but we have to choose to allow Him to do it in and through us. He is absolutely sovereign, but He has chosen to allow us to choose whether we submit to Him or not. That’s what the Garden of Eden was all about. If we choose to disobey, all sorts of consequences follow, but if we choose to obey, His grace overcomes our weaknesses and failures. He is indeed merciful, and He calls us to be likewise.

As is all of life on this earth, this is aspirational rather than any sort of done deal. Salvation itself is a done deal, provided in Christ through the cross and received by faith, but otherwise, like Paul we have to say, “Not that I have already obtained all this, or have already been made perfect, but I press on to take hold of that for which Christ Jesus took hold of me. Brothers, I do not consider myself yet to have taken hold of it. But one thing I do: Forgetting what is behind and straining toward what is ahead, I press on toward the goal to win the prize for which God has called me heavenward in Christ Jesus.” (Philippians 3:12-14) Jesus tells us to be merciful, so when we discover we are being less than merciful, we need to repent and ask forgiveness, choosing afresh to be merciful and so receiving God’s mercy. I’ve got to remember that as much as anyone, never thinking that because I teach others I’ve already got it down pat.

Father, thank You for this reminder. I have not always been merciful over the past three weeks, and people have suffered for it. Forgive me, and heal their wounded spirits. Help me be an increasingly accurate representation of Your Son, so that more and more people my be drawn to receive Your grace for themselves, for their salvation and Your glory. Thank You. Hallelujah!

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October 15, 2016

Posted on October 21, 2016 by jgarrott

Luke 6:26 “Woe to you when all men speak well of you, for that is how their fathers treated the false prophets.”

This verse really flies in the face of commonly accepted attitudes. I don’t think at all that Jesus is saying we should have a reputation for being hard to get along with. Rather, I think that He is dealing with the whole issue of political correctness. When we make others’ opinion the sole guide for what we say or how we say it, we are leaving God out of the picture, even if we use Him for window dressing. That is exactly what false prophets do! Words are powerful, and it is entirely possible to manipulate people using them. We are not to be afraid of our words convicting people of sin, because God often uses His prophets to do that, but we must always speak the truth in love. (Ephesians 4:15) Failing to speak the truth out of a fear that people won’t like us is placing people ahead of God, and that is dangerous indeed. We should always be more concerned with what God thinks of us than what any person thinks of us. That is what Jesus is talking about here.

As a pastor and as a teacher, words are my stock in trade, so I have to be especially careful on this issue. There have been many times when my words have wounded needlessly, and I regret them, but there also have been times when I have spoken in love and my words have been rejected, to the point of someone rejecting me. I must not be afraid of that! People have left the church over my continually pounding on the need for personal responsibility in each believer, getting away from the demand for spoon feeding and letting the pastor do everything. This verse should give me comfort on that issue! There are many good passages in the Bible on how we should talk, such as “Let your conversation be always full of grace, seasoned with salt, so that you may know how to answer everyone.” (Colossians 4:6) I am to take all of them to heart, but never fear people’s reactions. Rather, I am to be faithful to speak what my Lord is saying, using the words the Holy Spirit supplies, in the love that sent Jesus to the cross.

Father, thank You for this reminder. It is especially timely now, as I am about to head back to Omura, where I’m sure many things have not been done as I would have done them. Help me discern what is in need of correction and what is not, and encourage rather than tear down. Help me remember that the members of my flock are never my enemies, but the sheep that I am responsible to feed and nurture. Thank You. Praise God!

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October 14, 2016

Posted on October 20, 2016 by jgarrott

Luke 5:33-35 They said to him, “John’s disciples often fast and pray, and so do the disciples of the Pharisees, but yours go on eating and drinking.” Jesus answered, “Can you make the guests of the bridegroom fast while he is with them? But the time will come when the bridegroom will be taken from them; in those days they will fast.”

The religious professionals attacked on the basis of fasting and prayer, but Jesus responded only to the fasting charge. I take that to mean that the disciples were indeed learning to pray, just as they asked Jesus to teach them. (Luke 11:1) We sometimes forget that the disciples were indeed learning and maturing during their time with Jesus. Otherwise, they wouldn’t have had ears to hear or hearts to understand what Jesus said in the upper room before His crucifixion, much less have been able to absorb the fact of His resurrection. They did have a lot of blank spots, and that’s why Jesus said the Holy Spirit would bring to their minds all that He had said to them. (John 14:26) If the 12 apostles needed to learn and grow, so do we, and if they could learn and grow, so can we. Prayer is one of the areas in which we have the most room for growth, and that includes listening obediently to the Lord’s replies. As Jesus said, now that He’s not with us physically, that includes fasting, to teach us not to let our flesh control our spirits. We need to greet each day with anticipation of both what the Lord is going to teach us and how He is going to use us. That is the path of true satisfaction and joy for any believer.

This is of course exactly where I am. Some of the lessons aren’t enjoyable at the time, but if we are willing to learn, the result is always good. (Hebrews 12:11) This trip has been an extended practicum, and I pray that I will genuinely absorb and apply all that the Lord has been teaching me, not just for the benefit of those I serve, but also so that I won’t have to go through the same lessons again! In a few hours we will be back in Japan, and once we get as far as Fukuoka I’ll be back in “ministry mode.” That needs to be different than what it was, based on what the Lord has been teaching me, so that the Body of Christ may be built up for His glory.

Father, thank You for this reminder. Help me indeed hear and apply all that You say to me, through the Bible, through circumstances, and through other people. May I never be stagnant but always growing, just as it says in Psalm 1, for Your glory. Thank You. Praise God!

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October 13, 2016

Posted on October 20, 2016 by jgarrott

Luke 5:15-16 The news about him spread all the more, so that crowds of people came to hear him and to be healed of their sicknesses. But Jesus often withdrew to lonely places and prayed.

At this point Jesus had what we would call a “successful and growing ministry.” Such circumstances are marked by ever-increasing busyness. Observation will tell you that many gifted ministers have crashed and burned in such situations, but Jesus had the right answer: He prayed. We tend to let other things get ahead of prayer in our priorities, especially when those things seem to be noble, good, and “serving the Lord.” However, nothing is really a higher priority than fellowship with God. If we are in tune with God, then everything else will fall into place, but if we are ignoring God, everything will fall apart eventually, however well it might seem to be going at the moment. That reality is totally unrecognized by the world at large, so it generally takes conscious effort to maintain it. The devil will provide anything he can to separate us from God, even “success!” It is precisely when we think we can make it on our own that we are most at risk. We need to follow Jesus’ example and get private with God. Only then will we really be secure.

This trip has been an excellent practicum in this particular point. I have had to choose to make the time for reading the Bible and praying, and that hasn’t always been easy. As a matter of fact, my very next time will be on a crowded airplane, and even right now I am surrounded by distractions. However, my family is generally understanding, and for that I’m grateful. Heading back to Japan today, life will start to get more “normal,” but I still need to be intentional in placing God first in all my priorities. I would hardly be upset if God gave me a “successful and growing ministry” from this point, but whether that happens or not, I’ve got to keep my focus on Him and not let anything interfere with our fellowship.

Father, thank You for all You have done on this trip, but thank You even more for being so gracious as to lead me into intimacy with You. Keep me from allowing anything to interfere with that. Help me do whatever it takes to stay focused on You, so that I will always be available to You to say, do, and be exactly what You desire, for Your glory. Thank You. Praise God!

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October 12, 2016

Posted on October 18, 2016 by jgarrott

Luke 3:21 And as he was praying, heaven was opened.

We must not get away from the fact that Jesus prayed. Even with His intimacy with the Father and the Spirit He still needed times of consciously directing His attention to them. I never cease to be amazed at people who claim to be Christians and yet hardly ever pray. People complain about how God seems distant, but they too would experience heaven being open if they would just pray, in all sincerity and humility. We tend to make prayer all complicated and difficult, when it is really nothing more than children talking with their Father, just as Jesus did. We are not His only begotten Son, but we are certainly children by adoption, (Romans 8:15) and by the Holy Spirit we can call Him Daddy just as much as Jesus did. Anyone who is a parent knows that parents want honest communication with their children, and God is no exception. Many places in the Bible it exhorts us to pray, such as 2 Chronicles 7:14, and yet we tend to run from prayer, just as a rebellious teenager might run from open communication with their parents. How sad! God wants to bless us immeasurably, but we miss the vast majority of that when we fail to pray.

The closest I’ve gotten to heaven was during a time of prayer and worship with three brothers in the Lord. I felt such intense joy that I literally asked God to back off a touch, because one more drop and I was sure my body would be unable to handle it, and I knew He had more for me to do here. I have had other times of prayer when the communication was as simple and natural as a physical conversation, and times when I was more sure of the existence of God than I was of my own existence. Not every time of prayer is like that, but no time of prayer is without its blessings. That makes it all the more strange to me, and sad, that so few Christians, even, really seek God in prayer. I am not to look down on them or consider myself superior in any way, but I am to exhort them to receive the abundant blessings of God that are stored up for them. It bothers me that some people seem to be put off by my public prayers, saying, “I could never pray like that.” I am to make it clear that it is only by the grace of God that I am what I am, and that He loves them as much as He loves me.

Father, thank You for this reminder. Our readings have been on prayer for several months now, and You keep teaching me more. This trip has in several ways been a practicum in prayer, as You’ve allowed us to confront things that were beyond us except for Your help. Thank You. Help us apply the lessons You’ve taught us, both for our own sake and for the sake of the people around us, on this trip and after we return to Omura. May Shinsei no Sato be a praying people indeed, so that we may be fully available to You in every way, for Your glory. Thank You. Hallelujah!

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October 11, 2016

Posted on October 18, 2016 by jgarrott

Luke 2:37 She never left the temple but worshiped night and day, fasting and praying.

In many places the Bible uses hyperbole, using exaggeration to make a point, and this is one of those. Anna certainly slept sometimes, and she probably even left the temple precincts occasionally, but the picture is certainly clear. I think we do well to read this not as a physical description, but rather as a an expression of “she never left the presence of the Lord.” Courtesy of the Holy Spirit, that’s something we can all aspire to! This would definitely be described as a “cameo” appearance in the Bible, since we have no other mention of her, but what an honor nonetheless! God reveals things to those who live in His presence, and Anna was given the privilege of being one of the first people to announce the Messiah to those who had not yet heard. Sometimes we create grandiose dreams and images in our own minds of how we are going to be “mighty in the Kingdom,” but we would do well to follow Anna’s example. Rather than “carving out our niche,” we need to be focused on the Lord Himself, and getting closer to Him. If we will do that, He will use us in ways we would not have imagined, which will not only be for His glory, but also for our greatest blessing.

This really rings a bell for me, because Cathy and I have spent the past couple of days with someone cut from the “Anna” mold. Like Anna, she is a widow (though not from such a young age) and also like Anna, she spends every moment in the presence of the Lord. As a result, she is greatly used across a wide spectrum, from personal counseling to leadership in an international Christian organization. The other morning when I showed up for breakfast she delivered a Word from the Lord to me, and I was enormously encouraged. How individual believers might follow in Anna’s footsteps will look different in each case, because we are indeed individuals, but the common thread will always be total devotion to our Lord, making fellowship with Him the first goal and highest good. If that is the attitude and focus of our hearts, then we will walk in obedience to Him as open channels of His love and grace to those around us, for His glory.

Father, thank You for this Word. Help me indeed fit the “Anna mold,” neither grieving nor quenching Your Spirit but resting, relaxing, and rejoicing in You, just as You have told me, for Your glory. Thank You. Hallelujah!

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October 10, 2016

Posted on October 16, 2016 by jgarrott

Luke 1:11-13 Then an angel of the Lord appeared to him, standing at the right side of the altar of incense. When Zechariah saw him, he was startled and was gripped with fear. But the angel said to him: “Do not be afraid, Zechariah; your prayer has been heard.”

Even God’s answers to prayer can be scary! We are by definition limited in our grasp of things, even our own situations, so when God speaks to what is really going on it can blow us out of the water. We tend to define how we want our prayers to be answered, so how God chooses to answer them can really catch us off guard. God’s answer to Zechariah was so out of the ordinary that he flat couldn’t believe it! He had probably given up on praying for a child, but God hadn’t forgotten, and His answer fit into His plan of salvation for mankind in a way that Zechariah would never have imagined on his own. We need to pray with boldness and assurance that God is listening and He cares, and thus pray with gratitude and anticipation, but at the same time not try to dictate terms and conditions, much less time frames, to God. That can be really hard! God understands our human weakness and doesn’t put us down for it, but He is constantly urging us to growth, maturity, and yes, perfection. (Matthew 5:48, etc.)

Yesterday was a blessed day of affirmation in many ways, attending a church I pastored in 1979-80 and being welcomed very warmly by members from that time. However, the big event of the day came at supper. We’ve been staying with a long-term friend who is very close to the Lord in many ways, and as I came to the table she said some very powerful words of affirmation to me from the Lord. I was wiped out, and dissolved in tears, causing Cathy some concern when she showed up moments later. I had not been aware of my need, but the day had included repeated times of telling people how small our church is at this point, and I guess I needed a bit of a pick-up. I honestly don’t remember the details of what was said to me, but it certainly included the idea that God was very pleased with me. I am humbled indeed, and grateful. I am to keep walking each day in fellowship with my Lord, being available to Him to say and do what He desires but never thinking I can do anything good on my own. I am to be His agent, not with delusions of grandure but knowing that He can use even Baalam’s donkey, as He had me pray in the church service yesterday. I am to pray expectantly, while leaving all the details – the Lordship – in His hands.

Father, this has been quite a trip. Thank You that we start back toward Japan today. Yesterday may have been the highlight of the whole thing for me, but You might have something even better waiting! Help me indeed rest, relax, and rejoice in You at all times, so that I may be fully available for however You want to use me, for Your glory. Thank You. Hallelujah!

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October 9, 2016

Posted on October 16, 2016 by jgarrott

Mark 12:38-40 As he taught, Jesus said, “Watch out for the teachers of the law. They like to walk around in flowing robes and be greeted in the marketplaces, and have the most important seats in the synagogues and the places of honor at banquets. They devour widows’ houses and for a show make lengthy prayers. Such men will be punished most severely.”

Jesus’ conflicts were never with prostitutes or tax collectors or even the thief on the cross next to Him, but rather with the religious professionals of the day. From the days of the Old Testament prophets God had a lot to say to and about the people who were supposedly serving Him full time. There were certainly those who served Him with their whole hearts, and He delighted to use them for His purposes. However, all too often there were those who presumed on their office and made a mockery of it, from the sons of Eli in 1 Samuel on. The same holds true today. These days the “devouring widows’ houses” is done by television, with talk of “seed faith” and the like to dupe people into sending in their money voluntarily. They twist valid Scriptures to their financial advantage. Since the Scriptures are valid, sometimes the people sending money, who might be giving it to God in all honesty, are indeed blessed, and the “evangelist” uses those stories to further line their own pockets. Jesus says very plainly that “such people will be punished most severely.”

As a “religious professional” myself, I really need to pay attention here. My bank balance makes it clear I haven’t used my office for financial advantage, but that doesn’t mean I haven’t perhaps misused my office at some point (though I’m not aware of it). In Narita airport the other day I saw some very large gentlemen with huge ornate crosses around their necks, prominently projected by their ample girths, and this passage came to mind. However, I don’t know their hearts, and God does. I’m not to spend my time judging others, certainly, but I am to be discerning and I am especially to be careful of my own stewardship of God’s calling on my life and the gifting He has given me to fulfill it. Today I will be attending a church I pastored many years ago. I am not to push myself forward, but rather to hold myself available for however the Lord wants to use me, in blessing and perhaps even in admonition. God has His plans, and I am to submit myself to them.

Father, thank You for this trip and all You have done in it. Thank You that it is winding down. A week from today I will be attending the 60th Anniversary Celebration of a church my father founded, and then going on home to Omura. You know the rush it gives me to be able to write that! Help me be fully present, today and each remaining day of the trip, so that I won’t miss any opportunity You give me to be Your agent, for Your glory. Thank You. Praise God!

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October 8, 2016

Posted on October 13, 2016 by jgarrott

Mark 11:24-25 “Therefore I tell you, whatever you ask for in prayer, believe that you have received it, and it will be yours. And when you stand praying, if you hold anything against anyone, forgive him, so that your Father in heaven may forgive you your sins.”

Verse 24 is one of the most famous in the whole Gospel of Mark, but it is important to note that verse 25 follows it immediately. Those who have faith in faith, rather than really trusting the only One who is worthy of being believed, seize on verse 24 as an unconditional statement, but verse 25 should give pause to that. We are to trust the One to whom we pray, but we also need to be in sync with Him for our words to have the power of His. That’s what Jesus was talking about in His many instructions to “pray in His name.” (John 14:13-14, etc.) In those days someone’s name was seen as being indicative of their essence, their very being. You could claim to do something in someone’s name (Mark 13:6, e.g.) without harmony with that person, but you couldn’t really act in their name without it. We very glibly tack “In Jesus’ name, amen,” onto our prayers without any real thought of whether we are in harmony with His character and being led by His Spirit. That’s why verse 25 here is so important. If we are harboring unforgiveness against anyone, we certainly aren’t in harmony with Christ! When we are in harmony with Him, then we do need to believe and trust that our words echo His, and will be accomplished.

This is an issue I have heard a great deal about over the years. “Word of Faith” teachers have indeed benefited the Body of Christ, but there have also been many abuses, leading to the pejorative term, “name it and claim it.” That kind of thinking ignores such passages as James 4:3. I have certainly experienced magnificent answers to prayer, but I have also prayed and gotten no results that I could see. Frankly, that’s where faith and trust come in. I must not discard the faith I have simply because some formula I was using didn’t seem to work. Faith is neither mathematics nor magic. We can’t just “plug in the numbers” and expect things to happen, nor can we use special incantations and move the universe. For myself and for those I lead, I’ve got to focus on whom I believe, rather than anything else. (2 Timothy 1:12) I need to ask, seek, and knock, (Matthew 7:7-8) while letting Him be Lord and trusting that He knows everything I need before, and better, than I do.

Father, thank You for this clear reminder. Thank You for Your amazing, gracious faithfulness toward me. Help me be faithfully obedient to You, so that all of Your purposes for me may be fulfilled, on Your schedule and for Your glory. Thank You. Praise God!

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October 7, 2016

Posted on October 13, 2016 by jgarrott

Mark 11:12-14 The next day as they were leaving Bethany, Jesus was hungry. Seeing in the distance a fig tree in leaf, he went to find out if it had any fruit. When he reached it, he found nothing but leaves, because it was not the season for figs. Then he said to the tree, “May no one ever eat fruit from you again.” And his disciples heard him say it.

This particular episode has always bothered me, because it doesn’t seem like my mental image of Jesus. If it wasn’t the season for figs, why did He curse the tree for not having any? I’ve heard explanations that said such trees often had a few figs even out of season, but that was pretty unconvincing to me. However, two things come to mind. The first is that this generated a powerful teaching moment (which comes up in tomorrow’s reading). Jesus needed His disciples, and by extension, us, to know that His power was for judgment as well as for healing. However, that still begs the question of why the tree was judged. The second thing that comes to mind is from Paul’s instructions to Timothy. “Preach the Word; be prepared in season and out of season.” (2 Timothy 4:2) We are to be prepared to do our Lord’s bidding regardless of times or places, and the fig tree was no exception. That should really give us pause. We are very prone to serve God when we think we’re ready, when the proper response is simply, “Yes Sir.” We forget that the power, the ability, and everything else come from Him, and so we judge “seasonableness” by ourselves. What a loss! We need to be so focused on Him that we are available to Him whatever the time, place, or circumstances. If we will do that, His power will be manifested through us for the blessing of many and for His glory.

Not only do I face this issue in myself, as a pastor I also deal with it in others. It is very much to his credit that my newly-ordained assistant pastor didn’t draw back when I asked him to preach four Sundays in a row while I was on this trip. Frankly, he’s not yet “in season,” but God is using this to train and grow him. I’ll need to “debrief” him thoroughly and gently after I get back, to guide and cement that growth, but he accepted the challenge in dependence on God. We need to grow together as we walk out what God has for us, individually and as a church, and that applies to me as much as it does to him.

Father thank You for this Word. Thank You that the trip is winding down, and we’ll be back in Japan in less than a week (though not yet back to Omura). Help me accept and fulfill Your assignments for each moment, not basing my obedience on my ability but trusting You completely, so that Your will may be done on Your schedule for Your glory. Thank You. Hallelujah!

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