June 18, 2016

Posted on June 20, 2016 by jgarrott

Psalm 30:4-5 Sing to the Lord, you saints of his;
praise his holy name.
For his anger lasts only a moment,
but his favor lasts a lifetime;
weeping may remain for a night,
but rejoicing comes in the morning.

The last two lines of this passage are very famous, with the last line becoming the title of a book. It is a psychological reality that situations tend to look better after a good night’s sleep, but it’s important to recognize context any time we read the Bible. This Psalm claims to be one of David’s, and it says it’s “for the dedication of the temple.” Since David was dead when his son Solomon built the temple, that means this Psalm was one of the many things David prepared ahead of time, along with huge quantities of gold, silver, and other precious things. In that context, telling the “saints,” that is, God’s people, to sing praise to God and give Him thanks makes very good sense. The “weeping for a night” could refer to the various struggles that had to be endured to build the temple, or it could even refer to David’s own funeral, which he clearly anticipated before the temple would be completed. In any case, this Psalm was written on the basis of David’s years of experience in walking with the Lord, stumbling badly at times but recognizing the depth of God’s grace and mercy. We need to accept his instructions to praise God and we need to share his assurance that no matter how dark the night, morning is coming.

I have always enjoyed singing praises to God, and like David, I have learned that God does correct and discipline us, but repentance brings forgiveness and cleansing, and that is joy indeed. I am constantly dealing with people who need to believe that something better is coming, who need to lift their eyes off of themselves and choose to sing praise to God. That is hard sometimes, and I have gotten real push-back from some people who thought I was making light of their immediate suffering. The thing is, no problem, no suffering, is greater than God. When we put our situation into that context, everything gets so much easier. We do need to remember that physical death isn’t the end of the story. Those without Christ don’t have that assurance, so my first task is to lead them to repentance and faith. However, even Christians are very prone to focus on their difficulties instead of on their Lord, and correcting that is a major responsibility for me as a pastor. I can’t force them to do anything, but I can speak the truth in love, come alongside them and lift them up, to “strengthen feeble arms and weak knees,” (Hebrews 12:12) so that we may praise God together.

Father, thank You for all that You allow each of us to go through so that we may learn Your unchanging faithfulness. Help me stay focused on You, and enable me to help others to do so as well, so that together we may be submitted to You and resist the devil to the point that he flees, (James 4:7) for Your glory. Thank You. Praise God!

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June 17, 2016

Posted on June 20, 2016 by jgarrott

Psalm 28:7 The Lord is my strength and my shield;
my heart trusts in him, and I am helped.
My heart leaps for joy
and I will give thanks to him in song.

Often where English Bibles say “trusts in,” the Japanese translates it as “depends on.” Those two things are actually inseparable, but you wouldn’t know it from how we talk and act sometimes. We say we trust God, but then get all anxious. We say we depend on Him, but then we make “plan B” and even “plan C.” That’s not how to experience the abundance God has for us! God is not calling us to be passive by any means, but we are to submit our plans to Him in truth and not just in show, letting Him show us His plans and then applying ourselves fully to be obedient to those plans. Life is going to throw us all sorts of curves, just as Jesus said, (John 16:33) but if we trust God enough to genuinely depend on Him, then the victory that Jesus has already won for us will be manifested in our situation. That doesn’t always take the form that we would prefer, but it will always be the best option in the long run.

Right now we are having some intensive training in this area in ways that we aren’t so used to. Someone has come forward saying they want to give money for the church to buy the large plot of land next door that we have been praying for from the time we first started using the land our building sits on. At the very same time, the owner of that land finally moved to have the house that was on the land demolished. (It was already falling down.) When I contacted him about the price of the land, it was quite reasonable. All of that is of course very exciting. Right now the demolition is almost complete, but the next step is dealing with what is growing on the land. There are trees that we would indeed prefer to be removed, but there are also trees we want to keep, because we have the vision of building a group home for seniors on the land, and we want to preserve a park-like atmosphere. The owner of the land is in town right now. He seems to have in mind removing all the vegetation, and it is very hard to let go of the situation and trust God to preserve what we should have and eliminate what should be gone. And that’s just in the preparation of the land! The design, construction, organization, and operation of the group home are all in the future. There too we need to trust God enough to hear what His plans are, neither running ahead or dragging behind, and certainly not going off on a tangent. As all of this is going on, practically every person in the church is under some form of physical and/or emotional attack. The devil doesn’t like what God has planned for us! As the pastor/shepherd, I’ve got to be diligent in spiritual warfare, submitting fully to God so that we may stand firmly against the devil. (James 4:7) I’ve got to choose trusting obedience at every step, every turn, so that God’s plans may indeed be fulfilled, on His schedule for His glory.

Father, thank You for all that You are doing. It’s hard to take my hands off and let You be God! Forgive my foolishness. Help me be active in my obedience, not interjecting my plans and so failing to follow Yours. May I not draw back from anything You show me to do, but may I not do anything that is not of You, so that Your good plans may be fulfilled indeed, for the salvation of many. Thank You. Hallelujah!

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June 16, 2016

Posted on June 17, 2016 by jgarrott

Psalm 27:1 The Lord is my light and my salvation—
whom shall I fear?
The Lord is the stronghold of my life—
of whom shall I be afraid?

This is a dearly loved Psalm indeed, with several parts of it set to music, and verse 8 being a particular favorite of mine. However, all the rest of the Psalm is an illustration and amplification of the truth in this first verse. It is precisely because this was an honest declaration that David was “a man after God’s own heart.” (1 Samuel 13:14, Acts 13:22) It is when we recognize that God is our light, our salvation, the fortress of our life, that we value Him properly and cling to Him in loving obedience. For too many people God is entirely peripheral, unconsidered and unvalued except in emergencies. That’s certainly no way to please Him! The world is currently full of things to make us afraid. A list would be very easy to make, but it wouldn’t benefit at all, because it would put the focus in the wrong direction. The whole point is that when we are established in God, none of that matters a hill of beans. Anxiety and paranoia are increasingly common as diagnosed illnesses, and that’s only those who are seen by doctors! The antidote to all of that is the one David found: an intimate relationship with our Creator. Logic alone will tell you that there has to be a guiding Intellect behind the existence of the universe, as numbers of theoretical physicists, mathematicians and others testify, but it takes a leap of faith to discover that He not only exists, He cares, and He loves us. David didn’t have mathematics or physics to teach him the incredible, beautiful order of the universe, but he had encountered God his Savior, and that made all the difference.

I’m back to being grateful for the intellectually rigorous family of faith in which I was raised. I have discovered that the foundation of wisdom, as apposed to simple knowledge, is indeed knowing, fearing and loving our Creator, just as the Bible says repeatedly. (Job 28:28, Psalm 111:10, Proverbs 9:10 etc.) Simply knowing that God exists, without acting on that knowledge, does you very little good. Thinking that such such knowledge is sufficient in itself is simply deceiving yourself. (James 1:22) I have found that presenting the facts of the Gospel to someone does very little good unless they understand their own need for a Savior. That is the one reason the increase in things to be afraid of can be beneficial: it can cause people to seek God. However, when people’s concept of salvation is limited to the physical, events can cause them to abandon faith and think it was all a sham. It is when we seek God for who He is, rather than just for what He can do for us, that we discover the stability, peace and joy that David and others enjoyed. I am not to put people down for shaky faith, but I am to encourage them always to lift their eyes to the One who loved them enough to send His Son to die for them.

Father, I obviously could go on at length about what it means to know You. Help me be more and more effective in introducing others to You, so that they too may discover the joys of fellowship with You, for their salvation and Your glory. Thank You. Praise God!

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June 15, 2016

Posted on June 16, 2016 by jgarrott

Psalm 26:8 I love the house where you live, O Lord,
the place where your glory dwells.

I first became particularly aware of this verse when a friend of mine, missionary Nils Olson, put it on a t-shirt he made for his church. I got one, and I think about the verse every time I wear it. David was talking about the Tabernacle, because it was his son Solomon who built the temple, or perhaps he was thinking about the tent he himself put up for the Ark of the Covenant. In any case he was definitely talking about a physical location, but not a building as we think of one. Today we generally associate churches with buildings, calling the buildings themselves churches, when actually that is pretty shaky from a Biblical standpoint. The term “church” in either Hebrew or Greek refers to an assembly, gathered people, rather than to a structure. As I point out from time to time, Christians didn’t have dedicated buildings for worship until at least the 3rd or 4th Century. However, as the Bible makes abundantly clear, God chooses to dwell with His people, and under the New Covenant, He dwells even in individual hearts by His Spirit. Lest we get all individualistic and think we don’t need anyone else to be God’s house, we need to remember that Jesus said “Where two or three come together in my Name, there am I with them.” (Matthew 18:20) Loving “God’s house, the place where His glory dwells” means loving to gather with His children to worship Him in spirit and in truth. Too often we are so distracted by other things when we gather that we don’t recognize God’s presence, much less experience His glory. What a waste! We need to eagerly anticipate God’s attendance at every service, because only then will we experience all He wants for us.

I will never forget my most intense experience of worship to this point. It was extremely personal, but I was not alone. There were three other men who likewise loved the Lord, one American, one Japanese, and one German, representing both Catholic and Protestant traditions, and we were having a prayer meeting. The presence of the Lord was so strong to me that I literally told the Lord that if He wanted to keep using me on this earth He had better back off a little, because one more drop of anointing and my physical body would give up. That experience has given me an anticipation of heaven that won’t quit, because in heaven I won’t have to worry about a physical body. I desire for the people in my care that they too experience God’s presence and glory even on this earth, because it is certainly life-changing. I cannot force anyone into that, just as the proverb says about leading a horse to water. However, I can seek to make my own worship as real as possible, because that will certainly help. We have experienced the Lord “showing up” various times and in various ways in our services, so I need to be anticipating that myself, to encourage others to anticipate it also.

Father, thank You for keeping me from creating message notes before I had the full Word! Thank You for making it clear that I am indeed to speak on Worship this Sunday, but approach it somewhat differently than I thought yesterday. May I indeed be faithful in worship and in speaking Your words, so that the Body of Christ may be built up indeed, for Your glory. Thank You. Hallelujah!

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June 14, 2016

Posted on June 15, 2016 by jgarrott

Psalm 25:12-14 Who, then, is the man that fears the Lord?
He will instruct him in the way chosen for him.
He will spend his days in prosperity,
and his descendants will inherit the land.
The Lord confides in those who fear him;
he makes his covenant known to them.

This is one of many Psalms that switch back and forth between talking to God and talking about Him. Part of that may come from the fact that it is an acrostic poem, with each verse beginning with a successive letter of the Hebrew alphabet, but that doesn’t preclude sincerity or Divine inspiration. Such poems (and there are several in the Psalms) often use truisms, but again, particularly in the case of someone like David, they can be expressions of personal experience. This particular passage talks about the benefits of fearing the Lord. We use the expression, “carrot and stick,” in talking about motivation, and generally associate fear with the stick, but here David is directly connecting the fear of the Lord with “carrot” things. A person who doesn’t care about God isn’t going to be very tempted by instruction and knowing God’s covenant, but prosperity seems attractive to anyone. The Japanese renders that particular line as, “His soul will live in happiness,” but that’s pretty attractive too! However, for someone who genuinely loves God (which is closely connected with fearing Him) the promise of the Lord “confiding in” them (the Japanese says, “is intimate/friendly with”) is the most attractive thing of all. The point is, being in right relationship with God has more benefits than we could list, or really than we are aware of at any given moment. God is infinite, so the benefits of being in Him are likewise infinite!

This is something I have come to realize more and more the longer I have walked with God. As Bill Gaither wrote, the longer I serve Him, the sweeter He grows! Physical/material prosperity, though not unwelcome, has definitely receded as a motivator. Being able to, as John Denver sang, (but didn’t practice) “talk to God and listen to the casual reply,” is worth more than anything this world could offer. It is hardly surprising that as I get older I am more aware of my own mortality, but the better I know God, the less important that becomes. Not to be morbid, but I actively look forward to eternity with my Lord, with none of the distractions of this life. My Lord is my all, in this life and beyond.

Father, even as I wrote that I realized that I am not there completely yet. Thank You for never giving up on me. Thank You for the privilege of leading others into fellowship with You as well. I ask that You use me to that end more and more, so that Your house may indeed be full, (Luke 14:23) for Your pleasure and glory. Thank You. Praise God!

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June 13, 2016

Posted on June 15, 2016 by jgarrott

Psalm 22:25 From you comes the theme of my praise in the great assembly;
before those who fear you will I fulfill my vows.

I had not realized that there was such a direct Scriptural reference for a little chorus I have loved for a long time.

You are the words and the music;
You are the song that I sing.
You are the melody, You are the harmony;
Praises to You I will bring.
You are the mighty God, You are the Prince of Peace,
You are the King of all kings.
Now I return to You the song that You gave to me;
You are the song that I sing.

Actually, any time we give anything to God we are only returning to Him what He has given us in the first place. I have heard it said – and I may even have preached – that praise and worship are all we can give God that we haven’t received from Him, but this points out that even those originate in Him. In the purest sense, all we can give Him is our choice to return these things to Him. He has given us free will, so it is a genuine choice and not a sham. What we give Him is utilizing what He has given us to bless and please Him. The interesting thing is, whereas we cannot know exactly how much it blesses and pleases Him, it certainly blesses us to give Him praise and worship. That actually can be a good self-check on whether our worship has been genuine. If at the end of our worship we have more peace and joy and feel closer to God than when we started, then our worship has been genuine. If not, then we had better examine our motives. In many places the Bible talks about the futility of empty rituals, which makes it ironic that so much of Christianity is ritualized. It’s not at all that things like Communion are meaningless, it’s that we must not let them recede into dull routines. Genuine worship first of all recognizes Whom we are worshiping and then grows naturally from there in gratitude and praise. The opportunity and ability to worship is one of the greatest gifts God has given mankind. If we overlook it, our loss is great indeed.

Growing up in the family I did I have always loved to sing hymns and other Christian songs, but it was after I got involved in the Charismatic movement, starting around 1973, that I began to grow in my understanding and appreciation of worship. The whole matter of faithfulness vs. meaningless routine has been an issue. I celebrate Communion every morning as the first step in my devotions, using leftover unleavened bread from our monthly church Communion and drinking iced tea. That has been very meaningful and helpful, but the fact that I do it every day means I consciously have to keep it fresh, or it would dull to meaninglessness. As a pastor I earnestly desire that everyone in this church discover and delight in the joys of worship, but attendance figures make it obvious I have a long way to go there. I cannot force anyone to worship, since genuine worship is from the heart by definition, but I can explain and I can model and I can pray, and I must not neglect any of those things.

Father, it’s not too often that You give me the next Sunday’s message this far in advance. Thank You. Help me indeed communicate this truth effectively so that Your Spirit may bring it to life in the hearts and lives of all who hear, so that we may be Your children, Your Church indeed, for Your glory. Thank You. Hallelujah!

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June 12, 2016

Posted on June 14, 2016 by jgarrott

Psalm 22:1 My God, my God, why have you forsaken me?
Why are you so far from saving me,
so far from the words of my groaning?

This Psalm is somewhat painful to read, particularly when we know it was the one Jesus referenced from the cross, acknowledging that it described His situation. (Matthew 27:46) Actually, that’s all the more reason to read it, to understand what the Son of God went through for us. It’s also of great importance to realize that since Jesus went through this, we have no reason to feel picked on if our feelings are similar. Everyone has moments when they feel, from a strictly human perspective, like God has abandoned them. Like Jesus, and like David, who actually wrote these words, we need to be honest about our situation without abandoning faith. It’s not wrong to ask God why things are happening, but there’s no guarantee He’ll tell us immediately! Bad things are genuine tragedies only if we allow them to destroy our faith. Sometimes our faith rests on a false foundation, on things we have experienced instead of on who God is and what He has said. In such cases, sometimes God allows us to be shaken so that we will see our error and cling to Him alone, rather than to the things of this world. It is very hard for us to grasp that temporal things are truly that, temporary, because we are in the flow of time ourselves, and eternity is an abstract concept. God allows times when He seems distant precisely so that we will grow, in faith and commitment, and come through on the other side strengthened and purified. The Father was not “picking on” Jesus, even when He allowed Him to be scourged and nailed to a cross. Rather, He knew what would be the ultimate result of all that suffering, and that it would be worth it. What we endure isn’t as great, either in level of suffering or in the outcome, but we need to rest assured that God is going to turn it around for good, whatever it feels like at the moment. (Romans 8:28)

I don’t feel like I’ve been through particularly great suffering, but I’ve had plenty of moments that weren’t much fun at the time. In contrast, my wife has a medical history as long as your arm, and her attitude in the middle of all that has been a testimony to many. I keep remembering that Jesus spoke John 16:33 before He was crucified, stating that he had “overcome the world” even before He was resurrected. My victory, our victory, is not defined by what things look like at the moment. For various reasons I’m expecting very few people in the service this morning, but that doesn’t mean God isn’t going to manifest Himself in marvelous ways. My focus is to be on Him, and not on what my physical eyes can see. The theme for this morning’s message – Light and Darkness – is huge, so I have to be all the more careful to let the Holy Spirit control my words and my heart to keep me from saying anything He doesn’t intend for right now. I need to look forward to His results, and not try to make things happen on my own.

Father, thank You for Your continued faithfulness. There is a great deal going on, and there is the strong temptation to try to be in control. Help me indeed let go of everything, just as Jesus did when He came to earth as a human baby and even more when He went to the cross. (Philippians 2:6-8) May I trust You fully whatever my senses, my mind, or my body are telling me, so that I will not get in the way of whatever You want to do through me, for Your glory. Thank You. Praise God!

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June 11, 2016

Posted on June 14, 2016 by jgarrott

Psalm 19:14 May the words of my mouth and the meditation of my heart
be pleasing in your sight,
O Lord, my Rock and my Redeemer.

This Psalm is dearly loved, and for good reason. It starts by saying how the natural order demonstrates God without needing language, then it goes to talking about God’s use of language in giving His commands to mankind, and then it talks about the speaker’s own thoughts and words. That’s a very natural and meaningful progression, going from the vast to the intensely personal. David was a gifted and skillful poet indeed, but more importantly, he knew God. We all need to emulate him, understanding that nothing could exist without God, even the furthest reaches of the universe. We also need to accept that despite the infinitude of God, He cares intimately about each one of us, giving us instructions so that we may lead the best possible lives, relating rightly to Him and to each other. And then, we need to acknowledge our own personal responsibility and accountability before Him, all the way down to our thoughts. We all stumble at one or more of those points. That’s why we need a Redeemer, and to believe that God provided that Redeemer in His Son Jesus. David didn’t know Jesus, since biologically He was David’s descendant, but he knew enough of God to know that was taken care of, whatever form it took.

Thankfully, I had good input in all these areas from childhood, since my parents valued science, loved the Bible, and had deep, personal relationships with Jesus Christ as Lord. I wish every child could grow up in such an environment! However, I am never to “rest on my laurels,” so to speak, and think I’ve arrived. There’s always more to learn about the natural universe, and it’s fascinating. The Bible is a daily companion and nourishment for my soul. And I too must be on my guard against hidden sins, asking God to purify both my words and my thoughts. I am charged with leading people in all three of these areas, but I must never do so with an attitude of pride. I am not to withdraw into false humility, thinking I can teach nothing, because as I was pointing out to some people the other day, even a 2nd grader can teach a 1st grader some things. I am not to be stingy or exclusive with what God has taught me, but share it in all grace and humility. At the same time I am to keep pressing forward, learning and growing in every area, to be and do all that God intends for me, for His glory.

Father, You are so incredibly gracious! Thank You for all that You have done, all You are doing right now, and all that You are going to do in the future. We are in the middle of some things that seem pretty big to us right now, and that can be very stressful. Help us trust You fully with all the details, accepting and learning what You have taught us in the past and applying it faithfully right now, so that all of Your plans may be fulfilled on Your schedule for Your glory. Thank You. Praise God!

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June 10, 2016

Posted on June 12, 2016 by jgarrott

Psalm 18:50 He gives his king great victories;
he shows unfailing kindness to his anointed,
to David and his descendants for ever.

One difference between the English and the Japanese in this verse really caught my eye. Rather than, “He gives his king great victories,” the Japanese says, “The Lord increases salvation to the king.” I feel sure that’s because of the particular turn of phrase in the Hebrew, but it really makes me think about our definition of both salvation and victory. We tend to think of both in temporal terms, on this earth in this life, but God looks at things from the eternal perspective. Death, which we tend to see as defeat, is entering into eternity, and for someone who is in Christ, that is the greatest of victories. Our lives on this earth do matter, and God does heal and otherwise pull us out of difficulties again and again, but we must not think that because a particular situation isn’t being resolved the way we would like, God isn’t pouring out His salvation. The Revelation to John makes it very clear that the ultimate victory of the believer is a foregone conclusion, but we have a lot of trouble remembering that in the middle of our daily lives. My wife Cathy remarked just yesterday about how many Christians, even, seem to get mad at God over deaths and the like, and how absurd that is. The resurrection of Jesus proved that the salvation God has provided for us by grace through faith includes victory in every area, even over death. We forget that, or act like we never knew it, and we suffer needlessly as a result. Separation from loved ones is painful, yes, but when all involved are committed to Jesus Christ as Lord, it is a temporary thing that is ultimately no big deal.

This is of course very personal, because I’m just as mortal as anyone, physically speaking. I do my best to stay healthy and active and have every expectation of what the insurance companies would consider a pretty long life, but I’ve already outlived my father by a few years, and who knows what some crazy driver might do even today. Just yesterday I watched a fascinating brief lecture on risk, which talked about how we tend to fear things over which we have no control, but blithely accept far greater risks when we think we do have a measure of control. Some people fear flying, for example, because as a passenger you can in no way influence the outcome, but they might smoke or overeat, either of which has a much higher probability of increased suffering and death. As a child of God I am to be a faithful steward of the body I’ve been given, not taking needless risks (such as smoking or overeating) but fearing nothing. God’s salvation, His victory, is absolute and eternal. I can have no better security than that.

Father, thank You for this clear, strong Word. Show me when and how I am to share it. May I live in all that You have provided for me in Christ, freely sharing it with all who will receive, so that the works of the devil may be destroyed (1 John 3:8) and many brought into Your family, for their salvation and Your glory. Thank You. Hallelujah!

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June 9, 2016

Posted on June 11, 2016 by jgarrott

Psalm 18:28 You, O Lord, keep my lamp burning;
my God turns my darkness into light.

This whole Psalm switches back and forth between talking to God and talking about Him. That might reflect a flaw in David’s grammar or it might just blur the distinction between prayer and other speech, since God knows everything we say. In any case David is overwhelmed by the goodness and greatness of God, and that’s certainly a good thing. If we were to talk about God’s attributes more often, and not just in church, I think our lives would definitely change for the better. This particular verse is a reminder that God keeps us going. The Japanese says, “The Lord illuminates my darkness,” but I do like the turn of phrase in the NIV, “turns my darkness into light.” The first part of the verse brings to mind the song, This Little Light of Mine. That is actually based on Matthew 5:14-16, but the imagery is the same. We don’t really like darkness (unless we’re trying to hide something, as in John 3:19-21) but this says two things about that. It says that God illuminates our darkness, but more strikingly, He often does it through us, causing our lamp to burn. When that happens we illuminate those around us as well, just as Jesus was talking about. When our circumstances seem dark, we need to check our wick and our oil level! Jesus’ story of the foolish virgins (Matthew 25:1-13) indicates that we can indeed run out of oil. We need to keep our oil supply up by staying in intimate fellowship with God by His Spirit (who is often spoken of as oil). The better our oil supply, the more light we will shed on everyone around us.

This is something I have tried to live by for quite a few years now, but God is the judge of how well I succeed. There is a secular proverb that says, “It is better to light one candle than to curse the darkness.” I am never to curse the darkness, but rather realize that “God is light; in Him there is no darkness at all.” (1 John 1:5) The darkness in and around me is defeated, not by my railing against it, but by God filling me and illuminating through me. Darkness is a negative, the absence of light, so the way to overcome it is by applying light. Even in physics there is no measure for darkness, only measures for light. Sometimes for scientific purposes you need a “total black.” That is achieved in various ways, but all of them strive to reflect nothing. The easiest way to do that on a small scale is to bind together a group of razor blades, which actually are quite shiny, but when viewed edge-on, none of the reflections go back to the light source. I’ve got to be careful that I’m always reflecting Jesus; otherwise it won’t matter how shiny I might be.

Father, this is an important truth. Help me communicate it effectively and live it out consistently, so that the darkness may indeed be defeated by Your light in and through Your children, for Your glory. Thank You. Hallelujah!

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