April 2, 2016

Posted on April 4, 2016 by jgarrott

2 Samuel 7:18 Then King David went in and sat before the Lord, and he said:
“Who am I, O Sovereign Lord, and what is my family, that you have brought me this far?

The outstanding thing about this prayer of David is the humility that shines in every sentence. Humility was a rare thing in kings (as it is in politicians today) and that makes it all the more remarkable. David was genuinely blown out of the water by what the Lord had said to him through Nathan in the previous 17 verses, and this prayer is the result. It is entirely focused on God, in total amazement that He would pour out such blessings on David. David had seen Saul chosen and then deposed, and he considered himself to be in danger of the same. Now God has said that his successors would be his descendants, and that he himself would have a close, intimate relationship with his Creator. Actually, he didn’t even realize the very best part, and that was that the Messiah would come from his descendants. In any case, he had no illusions of being worthy of all that, and this prayer is the response. Today we tend to be rather far from David’s attitude, acting like spoiled brats rather than recognizing how very patient and gracious God has been toward us. We complain at the least inconvenience and always demand more. What James said about this comes to mind: “You do not have, because you do not ask God. When you ask, you do not receive, because you ask with wrong motives, that you may spend what you get on your pleasures.” (James 4:2-3) That’s the polar opposite of David’s attitude here.

I’m preaching to myself. I’ve learned a few things about the grace of God over the years, but I still have room to grow. I’ve never been a slave trader, but I have definitely learned that God’s grace is amazing. The challenge to me, as it is to everyone, is stewardship of all that God has poured out. The minute I think I deserve all the blessings I start being a poor steward of them. The minute I complain about what I don’t have I start failing to enjoy and make the best use of what I do have. I live a life of what would have been inconceivable luxury and opportunity just a generation or two ago, and yet I grouse over little things! I talk about the “entitlement mentality” of so many people today, and yet I overlook that exact trait in myself. I need to let God open my eyes to recognize better His incredible grace toward me, so that as a good steward of that grace I may extend it effectively to others, for their salvation and His glory.

Father, forgive me for the presumption I fall into so easily. Help me stay aware of the magnificence of Your grace so that I may walk in gratitude and joy. You have poured so much out on me that I can’t even perceive it all, much less exercise it fully in Your service. Help me be a better steward of Your grace, drawing many into Your family as You desire, for their salvation and Your glory. Thank You. Praise God!

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April 1, 2016

Posted on April 4, 2016 by jgarrott

1 Samuel 12:23 “As for me, far be it from me that I should sin against the Lord by failing to pray for you. And I will teach you the way that is good and right.”

This needs to be taught in every seminary and displayed in every pastor’s study. Preachers are taught theology and techniques, but too seldom are they taught to pray. We act as though human thinking and human activity could bring the kingdom of God! We forget that we are totally dependent on Him and that both we and the flocks under our care belong to Him. I have heard “religious professionals” speak of Bible reading and prayer in a dismissive fashion, as though they were unimportant, and statistics show that preachers, in America at least, spend precious little time reading the Bible other than to prepare sermons, and their personal prayer life is practically nonexistent. No wonder the churches and the nation are in sorry shape! We fail to realize that failure to pray is sinning against God, when we have been charged with caring for His people. Anyone who takes the time to really think about it will realize that there is literally no end to the things they could profitably pray about. There is no family without issues of one sort or another and no congregation without them either. Simply going through the church roll, or in a large church, even a list of the church committees, should yield vast quantities of things to pray about, and that doesn’t begin to touch on the issues in our communities and nations and in the world at large. Not every individual is called to pray for every issue, but we at least need to be seeking the Holy Spirit’s guidance actively, so that He may show us what and how to pray. (Romans 8:26-27)

I’m preaching to myself here. I tend to be overwhelmed by all there is to pray for and retreat into prayerlessness as a result. That’s certainly not the answer! When the issues pile up, the first part of the prayer that Jesus taught comes to mind: “Father in heaven, may Your name be recognized as holy. May Your kingdom come as Your will is done absolutely perfectly, right here on earth, in every one of these situations.” That should be my continuous prayer, whether I am actively “in prayer” or not. I am still very much learning prayer. The tension between praying in faith and praying persistently is hard to manage at times. I need to pray about that! I will never forget the time the Lord told me very clearly that there is much in the world today that He’s not happy about. He didn’t say it at the time, but I know that all this evil exists only because of human free will, and that as the Bible makes clear, in God’s perfect timing it will all be made right. Meanwhile, I am to offer myself in prayer as His agent, His instrument to bring His will to pass right now, even before the end of all things. I cannot explain why it is this way, but many times I have seen God take the words His Spirit prays through me to change things, if not to perfection, then certainly at least to far better than they were. That should make me eager and faithful to pray, but I still have plenty of room to grow.

Father, thank You for this reminder. None of this is new to me, yet I still am not as consistent as I should be. Help me keep growing, to get past all the distractions and apply myself in prayer as You desire, so that Your will may be done indeed, for Your glory. Thank You. Hallelujah!

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March 31, 2016

Posted on April 2, 2016 by jgarrott

1 Samuel 8:7 And the Lord told him: “Listen to all that the people are saying to you; it is not you they have rejected, but they have rejected me as their king.”

What the Lord said to Samuel can be very important for leaders to understand. If a leader is genuinely submitted to God, (and that can be a very big IF) then rejection of their leadership really is rejection of God. There are of course leaders who are presumptive, who aren’t submitted to God, and often they are more likely to claim this verse than those who are humble! No leader is perfect, and that obviously included Samuel, because of the behavior of his sons. Had he done better by them, then the people probably would not have responded this way. However, those being led have a responsibility to pray for their leaders, so that they would be true to God and receive His wisdom and guidance. We all tend to take people’s responses too personally, thinking we deserve all the credit when we are liked and acclaimed, and thinking it’s all our fault if people fail to follow. Samuel didn’t seem to have much trouble in the first response, but here God was cautioning him about the second. Everyone, both leaders and followers, needs to remember that God is the ultimate authority. All authority in the temporal realm is strictly delegated, and needs to be treated as such. If we are rightly related to God, then we will relate rightly to the human authority figures in our lives as well.

This is a complicated area for me, as I think it is for a lot of people. As a pastor and as a secular teacher I am an authority figure to a lot of the people I relate to every day. I’m used to it, but it isn’t always comfortable. There are times when I would much rather just follow, but there are also times when I get headstrong. I need to remember the centurion whom Jesus commended for his faith. (Matthew 8:5-9) He understood authority and leadership, and I feel sure he was well respected by those under his command. I need to focus first on my own submission and obedience to God, but then be unafraid in exercising the authority He has delegated to me. I am often painfully aware of my own imperfections, and I must always be open to correction. However, I must be more focused on God, and allowing His power, wisdom and authority to flow through me.

Father, You know better than I do the struggles I have with exercising authority. Help me be fully and properly focused on You, not taking things personally, so that I get either conceited or depressed, but allowing You to use me to accomplish Your will on Your schedule through me, for Your glory. Thank You. Praise God!

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March 30, 2016

Posted on April 1, 2016 by jgarrott

1 Samuel 3:7, 21 Now Samuel did not yet know the Lord: The word of the Lord had not yet been revealed to him.
The Lord continued to appear at Shiloh, and there he revealed himself to Samuel through his word.

This is a very famous story that is taught in Sunday School all over the world, I would suppose, but it is of far more importance than many adults attribute to it. Precisely because they learned it in Sunday School, and because the main character is a child, they think it no longer has bearing for them. Nothing could be further from the truth! Many “Christian” adults are in the position of Samuel as they story begins: they don’t really know the Lord. This is different from knowing about Him. Literally living in the Tabernacle, Samuel had to know all about the rituals of worship, and I’m sure he pestered Eli with “Why?” a great deal. However, he didn’t have a personal relationship with the God he served. All that changed when God spoke to him, and not only his life, but also the whole nation, and indeed world history, changed as a result. I keep remembering that up through Samuel, people had very little written Bible to go on. Living in the Tabernacle, Samuel had far more access to what Moses had written than the vast majority of people, and it is quite possible that this experience of hearing directly from God caused him to dive into what was available to him, seeking to know the One who had spoken to him. That may well be included in what verse 21 says about God continuing to reveal Himself through His Word. Today we have not only the whole Old Testament but the New Testament as well, so we have far more opportunity to develop a personal relationship with our Creator, whether or not He speaks to us in audible words. When it is so possible, it is a mystery why so few people seem to pursue it! The Bible as a whole is clear that God desires a deep, personal relationship with each of His children, and there is no greater joy, satisfaction, or achievement than entering into and growing in such a relationship.

This is something I have certainly learned over the years, but then I had the huge blessing of being raised by parents who each had such a relationship with God. The Word of the Lord was deeply and truly honored in our home, and I became quite familiar with the Bible from a very early age. However, being familiar with the book and receiving the Word of the Lord are two different things! I have had to grow in listening, in opening my heart and being quiet enough to hear what He was saying to me. As a pastor I am charged with communicating the Word of the Lord to others, but if I fail to receive it for myself, that does me no good. I am never to preach anything I am not willing to receive myself.

Father, thank You for this reminder. Thank You also for having me re-read just now Mark Conner’s “Preaching to Change Lives” outline that is on the wall beside me right here. Help me not only hear You fully myself, help me communicate what You are saying effectively to my hearers so that they may hear You through me. May I not just dump information on them, but lead them gently so that the eyes of their hearts may be opened to receive Your truth and understand it to apply it. May each person in this congregation come to a deep, personal relationship with You, taking in Your Word for themselves and growing as You desire and intend, for their blessing and Your glory. Thank You. Hallelujah!

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March 29, 2016

Posted on April 1, 2016 by jgarrott

1 Samuel 2:21 And the Lord was gracious to Hannah; she conceived and gave birth to three sons and two daughters. Meanwhile, the boy Samuel grew up in the presence of the Lord.

This is “the rest of the story” for Hannah. Because she was willing to release her firstborn to the Lord, He blessed her abundantly with more children. Since her childlessness had been her big problem before, this was blessing indeed. Meanwhile for Samuel, the biggest issue was that he didn’t have a good example of parenting, and in consequence didn’t do a very good job with his own sons. (1 Samuel 8:1-3) However, Eli apparently treated him quite well, and he doesn’t seem to have suffered. Rather, he grew up with an awareness of God that was perhaps unique in his day, and in consequence became the first great prophet after Moses. And that was truly blessing indeed, not only for him but for the whole nation. Hannah didn’t know that would happen when she prayed so earnestly for a child, but unintended consequences can include good things as well as bad. We really can’t know all the ripples our words and actions will cause, but God sees the end from the beginning. We are to be faithful and obedient to God, letting Him straighten out all the lines of cause and effect, trusting that His plans are always for our benefit. (Jeremiah 29:11)

I have never been very big on planning, and at times I have suffered for it. The secular proverb, “He who fails to plan, plans to fail,” has some real truth to it! However, many of the major events of my life have been things for which I could not plan, but God has been more than gracious. I am to be faithful in planning and preparation, but that must always be with the awareness that God has the last word. James 4:13-16 is very much to the point here. My planning needs to be logical and thorough, but in full submission to God, allowing Him to change my plans at any time and in any way. Frankly, I don’t always respond well when He does that! However, as He has made it clear to me, He’s smart and I’m not, so I need to trust Him fully and rest, relax, and rejoice.

Father, thank You for this reminder. I’m in the middle of helping someone with some major plans in his life, and I need Your wisdom and guidance. Actually, people come to me for counseling and advice pretty frequently. Keep me from answering any of them glibly out of my own head. Rather, help me turn them to You, because only You know the end from the beginning, and Your plans are always best. Thank You. Praise God!

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March 28, 2016

Posted on March 30, 2016 by jgarrott

1 Samuel 2:2 “There is no-one holy like the Lord;
there is no-one besides you;
there is no Rock like our God.”

We are back to the whole issue of shaky theology. Hannah was certainly not wrong, she was just relating to God from where she was. Actually, she expressed a very good rebuttal to the polytheism of the era, with an essentially monotheistic declaration. If you dip into comparative religions today you will likely be astounded at what other religions claim about their gods. The thing is, as Hannah said, none of those are in the same category as Yahweh and His Son Jesus. Having done some comparative religion study myself, I could go on at length about it, but there’s no point to that here. Actually, what Hannah said applies to philosophies we don’t consider “gods” as well. The whole idea of evolution without a Creator recently received a huge blow from a massive study that was done to try to engineer the simplest living organism possible. After numerous failed attempts to start from zero and build up, with the minimum number of genes, the researchers started removing genes from an existing bacterium to see how far they could go. The simplest they could make it and it still be alive, it still had around 300 genes, and the researchers had no idea of the functions of about half of those; they simply discovered they were essential. In other words, they ran into what is called irreducible complexity: there had to be a Creator, because there is no way chance could account for what is. From whatever direction we approach Him, God can tolerate all the scrutiny we can give, because there is indeed none holy as the Lord. None of us has perfect understanding, but He meets us where we are, if our hearts are humble before Him.

I have run into the whole gamut of objections to the God of the Bible, and none of them ultimately hold water. Without exception, those who reject Him stubbornly do so not because of logic or reason but because of rebellion. That’s why I need to be ready to talk to anyone about God, (1 Peter 3:15) but at the same time not just counter their arguments but rather ask the Holy Spirit to speak to their soul. It’s like the American who told a pastor he would become a Christian if the pastor could explain where Cain got his wife, but then it turned out the man’s real problem was someone else’ wife, with whom he was having an affair. He refused the claims of Christ because he didn’t want to repent. I can’t make anyone repent and believe, but I can speak the truth to them in love, and I must never stop doing so. I must remember that there is indeed no replacement for God, just as Hannah said, and that His grace is sufficient. (2 Corinthians 12:9)

Father, thank You for this reminder. Sometimes I am tempted to try to argue people into faith, but I have demonstrated many times that I can’t do it. Help me be fully open and available to You, whatever You want me to say or do, or even be silent and do nothing. May Your will be done in and through me, destroying the works of the devil (1 John 3:8) and drawing many to full salvation, for Your glory. Thank You. Hallelujah!

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March 27, 2016

Posted on March 30, 2016 by jgarrott

1 Samuel 1:27-28 “I prayed for this child, and the Lord has granted me what I asked of him. So now I give him to the Lord. For his whole life he shall be given over to the Lord.” And he worshiped the Lord there.

Hannah is a magnificent example of faith. However, today she would be imprisoned for child abandonment! Hannah knew that the Lord was totally reliable, but today many act as though He didn’t exist, whatever they say with their mouths. She is an extreme example of integrity, because she followed through with the promise she had made to the Lord, since He had followed through in meeting her need. That is clear evidence that He was very real to her, whatever her “theology” might have been. Today, in addition to those who honor God only with their mouths (Isaiah 29:13) we have some who are very earnest in their Christianity, but they are more concerned with whether people dot all the i’s and cross all the t’s than with practical, rubber-meets-the-road faith. We need to remember that people back then had very little of the Bible to go on, if they were even literate, so their experience of God was very personal and practical. Biblical knowledge is valuable indeed, (2 Timothy 3:16) but even memorizing the Bible is no substitute for living out the faith you have. (James 1:22) Hannah trusted God and acted on that, and the result was one of the pivotal figures in world history, the prophet who anointed Israel’s first two kings. God honors faith.

With my high level of familiarity with Scripture I tend to be surprised at Christians who don’t know the Bible very well. That has a real influence on my preaching, because I tend to assume too much background for people to be able to understand what I am saying. I need to be looking for Hannahs, people who will act on the faith they have, however little, or much, theological underpinning they might have for it. I need to be willing to teach from zero, so to speak, and not demand that people start from a certain level. I don’t make that demand intentionally, but it happens all too often in practical terms. I would love to have a church full of Hannahs, but I don’t know that I’d be the best pastor for them! I need to let the Lord continue to grow me as His agent to all whom I meet, dealing with them where they are and as they are so that they may be brought closer to Him in genuine growth toward spiritual maturity, for their blessing and His glory.

Father, thank You for this Word this morning. It was quite painful recently when someone I love said he wouldn’t be attending here any more because I don’t feed him spiritually. I feel sure there are are other factors, and I ask for clear guidance as to how I am to relate to him going forward. May all those under my care be nurtured as they need it and not dumped by the wayside, so that all may grow together to be the mature children that You desire, for Your glory. Thank You. Praise God!

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March 26, 2016

Posted on March 27, 2016 by jgarrott

1 Samuel 1:17 Eli answered, “Go in peace, and may the God of Israel grant you what you have asked of him.”

We know from the next couple of chapters that Eli was hardly an exemplary high priest, and his sons were downright despicable, but the office carried weight even so. I don’t know that he was intending to be prophetic here, but at the very least he was intending to speak blessing, and that blessing was effective. I am reminded of another High Priest who was certainly not yielded to God, but who nonetheless spoke an important prophetic Word. “Then one of them, named Caiaphas, who was high priest that year, spoke up, “You know nothing at all! You do not realize that it is better for you that one man die for the people than that the whole nation perish.” He did not say this on his own, but as high priest that year he prophesied that Jesus would die for the Jewish nation, and not only for that nation but also for the scattered children of God, to bring them together and make them one.” (John 11:49-52) He was actively involved in killing the Son of God, and yet he spoke God’s plan of salvation in a nutshell! The office a person holds is important, so whether they are worthy of that office or not, their words and actions carry weight. I am reminded of the fact that my father’s certificate for the Order of the Imperial Treasury that was awarded at the time of his death is signed by Kakuei Tanaka, the only prime minister ever to be convicted of receiving bribes. That signature of a deeply flawed man does not diminish the award. We are not to let titles blind us, but neither are we to despise an office because it is currently held by an unworthy occupant.

This is of course extremely applicable to churches. A pastor is not above their flock, but the office carries weight. The person holding the office must never forget that it is a weight of responsibility, not privilege. I have to answer to God for my every decision and action, even more so than someone not in my position. (James 3:1) I have found, sometimes painfully, that my words carry weight, and so can wound more easily than those of someone else. Like Eli, I need to speak blessing and give hope. The hope that he imparted to Hannah may well have been the factor that enabled her to conceive! Every believer is a representative of Christ, (Acts 1:8) but as a pastor, even the world looks on me that way. By God’s grace I am to do that faithfully, not distorting the image they get, so that as many as will may come to Him and receive life.

Father, at times I am blown away by how You use even my mistakes for good, but I’d rather not put You to that trouble! Help me fulfill Your calling, Your commission, in every respect, so that all of Your plans for me may come to pass, for the blessing of many and for Your glory. Thank You. Praise God!

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March 25, 2016

Posted on March 27, 2016 by jgarrott

Judges 16:28 Then Samson prayed to the Lord, “O Sovereign Lord, remember me. O God, please strengthen me just once more, and let me with one blow get revenge on the Philistines for my two eyes.”

This is an interesting prayer, with both power and impurity. It has for a starting point a humility that Samson was slow to achieve. He recognized, finally, that it was only God who had given him so much strength in the past, and it was his own disobedience that had stripped him of that strength. That was good, but at the same time, the desire for personal revenge was not good. I don’t know whether his willingness to die in the process had any bearing on the good-or-bad scale. His personal desire was for revenge, but at the same time, the Philistines were actively praising their god for their victory over Samson, and that was reason enough for God to act. This is a very popular story in Sunday School, but it is certainly R-rated at best! Samson is an example of how flawed a person can be and still be used by God. He appears to have done most of his thinking with his gonads, which is hardly the image of a man of God! At the same time, he is a picture of God using us in spite of ourselves, and how it is never too late to recognize our dependence on Him.

I have certainly prayed with mixed motives many times. That’s probably why my prayers haven’t had a higher success rate! By God’s grace I have made it past the age at which my father died, and I am fully aware that it is only by His grace that I can accomplish anything at all. Yesterday he enabled me to do repair work on the ceiling, balanced on a scaffold, and today my body is telling me it didn’t enjoy that! However, by His grace my body will recover, and neither I nor the young man helping me had any injuries, which had been a real concern. The whole matter of motivation for prayer is an important one, for me personally and for my ministry as a pastor. I need to learn from this prayer of Samson that prayer can be effective even when the motivation isn’t pure. Accordingly, I should never be hesitant to pray, or to encourage others to pray. I need to trust the Holy Spirit to sort it all out, (Romans 8:26-27) and just pray.

Father, thank You for Your guidance and protection yesterday. I am very aware of the imperfections in what was done and how, but You got us through it anyway. Help me not hold back from anything You direct because of focusing on my weaknesses, but rather trust You to enable me to do Your will. Thank You that what was done yesterday is not going to increase my personal pride! Help me make the use that You intend of the abilities You have given me, without being personally proud of any of it, so that You alone may be glorified. Thank You. Praise God!

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March 24, 2016

Posted on March 26, 2016 by jgarrott

Judges 13:8 Then Manoah prayed to the Lord: “O Lord, I beg you, let the man of God you sent to us come again to teach us how to bring up the boy who is to be born.”

Two things stand out to me in this prayer of Manoah. First, he trusted his wife. Had he not, he might have suspected that she had fallen for some mysterious stranger and was concocting this story to cover up in case she was pregnant (since infertility in a couple can come from either side). The second thing is that he really believed in God. That is evident from the fact that his prayer was not whether the boy would be born, but rather how to raise such a miraculous child. The Bible has many examples to show us that God likes that kind of faith. To me, the angel’s parenting instructions seem highly inadequate, but God knew in advance what Samson’s story would be, and that He was going to make use of both Samson’s strength and his weaknesses. I find Manoah’s faith all the more remarkable because he probably had very little basis for it. No more than the first six books of the Bible had been written, and the probability is very high that he was illiterate anyway. Nevertheless, he knew enough of the oral tradition of Israel to know that Yahweh was God indeed, and He could do miraculous things. That he knew how to sacrifice a burnt offering is another indication that he was devout; this was obviously not the first time he had done so – though he had never seen an angel ascend in the flames before! God takes us where we are and uses us, if we will yield ourselves to Him. Manoah himself was no special physical specimen, but God used him to father one of the physically strongest people in history. Genetics alone couldn’t account for it.

I have things to learn from Manoah. I have been blessed, both in nature and nurture, as they say, but as long as I am depending on that, nothing miraculous is going to happen. Miracles are by definition outside of human ability, so the more I focus on my ability the less likely I am to see miracles. I need to listen humbly to God to know His plans, and then not try to figure out how to make them happen in my strength, but rather ask Him what my part is to be in their coming to pass. God has given me a vision of Omura again becoming the foremost Christian city in Japan, actively advancing the kingdom of God to the ends of the earth. That is so impossible as to be preposterous, from the human standpoint, but that is all the more reason to believe it is God’s idea, because He will be the only explanation for it. I need to start asking God how I’m to act when it happens, rather than dismissing it as impossible.

Father, thank You for this reminder, this renewal of Your vision in me. We read the church vision in church every Sunday, but to a degree it has become just words to me. Forgive me. Help me actively anticipate what You are going to do, in no way depending on myself but being fully available and responsive to You for whatever You want to do through me. May all of Your plans, for me, for this church, for this city, and for this nation, be fulfilled in Your way on Your schedule for Your glory. Thank You. Hallelujah!

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