April 26, 2016

Posted on April 28, 2016 by jgarrott

Nehemiah 1:8 “Remember the instruction you gave your servant Moses.”

Like many other people recorded in the Bible, Nehemiah is praying God’s words back to Him. It’s not that God forgets what He has said, or that He could, but rather that we can pray with total assurance when we are standing on His Word, rather than on our own imaginations. However, this must be done in all humility, with no trace of our trying to hold God accountable. (It’s amazing how often that seems to happen, but God pointed the fallacy in such an attitude out to Jeremiah, comparing us to clay and God to a potter. [Jeremiah 18:1-10) Nehemiah had confessed the sins of Israel, including his own direct ancestors and he himself, just before this, so there was no pride in this at all. Just recently I read an article about the Biblical illiteracy of American Christians. Though 80% of American households have at least one Bible, they don’t read it and don’t really know what’s in it. The average American Christian couldn’t pray God’s words back to Him if they had to! That is tragic indeed. In contrast, believers in China in many areas still have a real shortage of Bibles, so they copy them out by hand and memorize large chunks so that they can’t lose them. The situation in Japan isn’t much different from America among Christians, though the percentage of households with Bibles in the general population is much lower. Bibles are taken out on Sundays, if then, and there is very little familiarity with what is really in them. If God’s people would take in His Word and pray it back to Him, the world would be a very different, and much better, place.

This issue is very personal to me. I grew up in a home where the Bible was loved, read, and absorbed, but at church, any time it was read in Sunday School or a worship service the page number was given. That helped complete novices find the passage, yes, but it didn’t help anyone really become familiar with the Bible. I have known people who had been Christians for over 30 years and still couldn’t find a verse just from being given the reference! It is no wonder they had little assurance and power in their lives. As a pastor I have steadfastly refused to give page numbers, and have taken some flack for it. I don’t even require uniformity in the translation used, which is shocking to some. We have a young man in the church who delights to serve each Sunday by putting bookmarks in our “lender” Bibles at all of the passages I plan to use in the message. Sometimes that means a lot of bookmarks! At least he is learning how to find Scripture references! I keep encouraging the believers to have regular devotions, to take in the Word and let it operate fully in their hearts and lives, but the response is spotty. You would think that people would see the lives of those who do feast on the Word and desire to do likewise, but our lying enemy still manages to deceive so many. I must never give up, but continue speaking the truth in love, so that people may be set free.

Father, thank You for the message this past Sunday and for the good response to it. I pray that people would indeed experience You through Your Word and respond accordingly, so that the works of the enemy may be destroyed and Your kingdom come in their hearts and lives, for Your glory. Thank You. Hallelujah!

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

April 25, 2016

Posted on April 26, 2016 by jgarrott

Ezra 8:21 There, by the Ahava Canal, I proclaimed a fast, so that we might humble ourselves before our God and ask him for a safe journey for us and our children, with all our possessions.

This story is one that benefits from footnotes to the text, because we don’t have a grasp of the units of weight mentioned. It boggles the mind that they were taking nearly 30 tons of gold and silver with them. Considering the general public safety of the day, that was like an open invitation to be slaughtered! Ezra had the right answer, even though it would be ridiculed even today: pray. I happen to be a proponent of concealed carry (and would do so if I lived in the US) but this is far more important. Weapons can be entirely appropriate at times, (Luke 22:36) but they aren’t the ultimate answer. Right now the world is a dangerous place indeed, on many levels. Prayer is essential! Perceived weakness can be very dangerous, and perceived strength can be a source of safety. Probably one thing the Lord used in keeping this group safe was the fact that they were clearly a Persian entourage, and Persia was far and away the greatest military power of the day. That probably contributed to bandits not wanting to mess with them. That said, it was no guarantee, as Ezra well knew, and prayer was certainly called for. There is a difference when you are facing a rival and when you are facing a genuine enemy. With school sports competitions, for example, it is entirely appropriate to pray for protection from injury and that every player would be able to do their best and the team coordinate well, but praying to trounce the opponents is out of place. However, that’s not the picture when it comes to enemies like ISIS, or even the home invader who’s after your stuff. We aren’t to be paranoid, but we must remember where our safety lies, and depend on Him.

I am very blessed that Japan has some of the best public safety in the world, but at the same time we are entirely in reach of North Korea’s missiles. That’s not something I can protect against, personally, but I can pray. My children and grandchildren are in the US, where I can’t be to protect them by any physical means, but I can pray. I am not where I can touch my brothers and sisters across the globe who are being persecuted for their faith, but I can pray. I need to remember that I am never helpless, because God is my Helper. To receive His help, I’ve got to be humble before Him, as Ezra knew. I am to make appropriate use of all that He places in my hands, but know that the necessary wisdom and strength are all His, and ask Him to impart them to me as needed. If I will do that, I indeed have nothing to be worried about.

Father, thank You indeed for Your protection. Keep me from stepping away from that protection by my willful disobedience. May I be humbly, gratefully obedient to You at all times, so that all of Your plans for me, and none of the enemy’s, be fulfilled, for Your glory. Thank You. Praise God!

Posted in Christian, Uncategorized | Tagged , , , , | 2 Comments

April 24, 2016

Posted on April 26, 2016 by jgarrott

Ezra 6:10 “…so that they may offer sacrifices pleasing to the God of heaven and pray for the well-being of the king and his sons.”

Even a heathen king like Cyrus wanted to be prayed for! He had perhaps heard stories about this “God of Heaven,” and thought it wouldn’t hurt to be on His good side. He was evidently not obsessed with wealth for its own sake, because he didn’t hesitate to make a very considerable financial investment in this project, returning all the gold and silver items that had previously been taken from the temple and also committing to the continuing expenses not only of construction but of the upkeep of the temple activities. Actually, God had prophesied Cyrus’ activities years earlier through Isaiah. (Isaiah 45) That said, God’s work in him certainly included this desire to be prayed for. Offering to pray for people can be a very good way to open their hearts to the Gospel, but if you offer, you had better follow through! Actually, praying on the spot for people can have a huge impact, but it had better be genuine prayer and not “boilerplate.” If we are sincere, then the Holy Spirit will guide us as we pray, and we may well find ourselves as God’s “mouthpiece” to that person, touching them profoundly.

I will always remember Dr. Cal Guy, one of my professors at seminary. In a place like that, people are always talking about prayer in one way or another, but if someone asked Dr. Guy for prayer, he stopped right there, wherever he was or whatever he was doing, and prayed. That might be walking across campus, in the middle of class, or in a store in town. That was a marvelous example to me, and fit in perfectly with the environment in which I was raised, where prayer was as natural as breathing. He helped me overcome any feelings I might have had of embarrassment at doing something so “politically incorrect” as praying in public. This was and is very different from the Pharisees “praying on street corners” that Jesus talked about, (Matthew 6:5) because the purpose is not to be seen; rather, whether you are seen or not is irrelevant. I have tried to follow Dr. Guy’s example, and God has used that many times. Today, I pray for my students at the beginning of each class period (since I teach in private schools it’s not forbidden) and many students have responded quite well. The difficulty there is in keeping it fresh, avoiding the “boilerplate” already mentioned. We have the promise of the Holy Spirit’s help, (Romans 8:26) so I need to seek that and accept it. If I will do so, the Spirit’s words through me will accomplish more than I could dream.

Father, thank You again for the privilege of prayer, and specifically of praying for others. It is a marvelous thing to be Your instrument of blessing! May I never draw back for any reason, but press forward more and more so that Your Word may go forth through me to accomplish everything for which You send it, for Your glory. (Isaiah 55:10-11) Thank You. Praise God!

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

April 23, 2016

Posted on April 24, 2016 by jgarrott

2 Chronicles 33:10 The Lord spoke to Manasseh and his people, but they paid no attention.

What a common tale this is! God really is speaking constantly, but so little attention is paid to Him. We are so caught up in the news of the day, and now in social media, that we have no time for the Word of the Lord and talking with Him. Down through history God has made Himself available to His people in many ways, but few of them paid any attention at all. In this particular case, God put Manasseh into a really severe situation just to get his attention, and it worked, but his son was so polluted by Manasseh’s bad example that he was assassinated just two years after ascending to the throne. Our actions affect more than us! To me, one of the major lessons of the Bible, and of history as a whole, is that as has been said, no man is an island; all of us are interrelated. We need to seek God for ourselves, certainly, but also for the sake of those who are influenced by us. We may think we have no influence, but that is never true. Even if we have no children, there are people who are impacted by what we do or fail to do. We are called to be godly examples, at the very least. Some people rise to prominence and influence many and some seem to be unknown, to influence hardly anyone at all. However, the real story there might be in their failure to influence for good when they had opportunity. A hymn of a generation ago says, “Let others see Jesus in you.” If we are dedicated to listening obediently to God, then others will indeed see Jesus in us and will be drawn to Him. We may not think we influence very many people, but God knows, and I think that when we get to heaven we’ll be really surprised to find all the impact we have had on others.

This is something I have struggled with at times, sometimes wanting to be totally anonymous and sometimes wanting to have a more dramatic impact. I have to leave it in God’s hands! As a Caucasian in Japan I have always been noticeable. That has made me want to “blend into the woodwork” every once in a while, but that never works very well for very long. I feel like a misfit in the US! As a pastor, particularly in dealing with young people, I often have difficulty in getting the message of our interconnectedness across to people. The lesson of accountability is often not received well! However, I have to make the best use I can of the influence I have to push and draw them in the right direction. I am to be faithful, not just for my own sake but for the sake of everyone I touch, whether I am aware of that touch or not.

Father, this is a really deep subject. Only You know all the connections anyone has. Help me not be anxious about it all, and especially not to think it’s all about me. Help me rather be so focused on You that Your presence in me will accomplish Your will on every level, drawing many into Your family for their salvation and Your glory. Thank You. Praise God!

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

April 22, 2016

Posted on April 24, 2016 by jgarrott

2 Chronicles 32:25 But Hezekiah’s heart was proud and he did not respond to the kindness shown him; therefore the Lord’s wrath was on him and on Judah and Jerusalem.

It seems incredible that Hezekiah would have been proud after all he had gone through, but this just shows how devious the human heart can be. My personal guess is that it was the gifts and human recognition that were showered on him (verse 23) that blinded him. I like it that the Japanese says “grace” where the NIV says “kindness” here. Grace, after all, is unmerited favor. Hezekiah somehow thought he deserved all that God had done for him. How foolish! However, we fall into that same trap all too often ourselves. By current standards, some of Jesus’ most “heartless” words were a warning on this very point. “Now there were some present at that time who told Jesus about the Galileans whose blood Pilate had mixed with their sacrifices. Jesus answered, ‘Do you think that these Galileans were worse sinners than all the other Galileans because they suffered this way? I tell you, no! But unless you repent, you too will all perish. Or those eighteen who died when the tower in Siloam fell on them—do you think they were more guilty than all the others living in Jerusalem? I tell you, no! But unless you repent, you too will all perish.’” (Luke 13:1-5) As long as we are comparing ourselves with one another, we are deceiving ourselves. It is only when we realize and accept that all that God does for us is grace, far better than we deserve, that we are able to see ourselves and others rightly.

I have had my own problems with thinking I deserved good stuff and being ticked about how “unfair” it was when things were rough. That never did me any good! I need to remember what Jesus said in Luke 12:48. “From everyone who has been given much, much will be demanded; and from the one who has been entrusted with much, much more will be asked.” Likewise, I need to remember Paul’s words on the subject. “Now it is required that those who have been given a trust must prove faithful.” (1 Corinthians 4:2) Everything I have has come not because I deserved it, but because God had a purpose for it beyond just me. I need to seek that purpose and apply myself toward that end, in all humility and gratitude.

Father, at times I am overwhelmed at how blessed I am, and at other times I feel like I’m carrying the weight of the world. Thank You for loving me anyway! Help me recognize Your grace in all gratitude and praise and apply it as You intend, letting it flow through me to others to teach them about You, so that they too may repent and believe and receive Your life, for Your glory. Thank You. Hallelujah!

Posted in Christian, Uncategorized | Tagged , , , , | 2 Comments

April 21, 2016

Posted on April 22, 2016 by jgarrott

2 Chronicles 30:18-20 Although most of the many people who came from Ephraim, Manasseh, Issachar and Zebulun had not purified themselves, yet they ate the Passover, contrary to what was written. But Hezekiah prayed for them, saying, “May the Lord, who is good, pardon everyone who sets his heart on seeking God—the Lord, the God of his fathers—even if he is not clean according to the rules of the sanctuary.” And the Lord heard Hezekiah and healed the people.

Jesus’ words in the upper room after His resurrection come to mind: “If you forgive anyone his sins, they are forgiven; if you do not forgive them, they are not forgiven.” (John 20:23) Hezekiah was not ignoring the rules of the Levitical law, but he recognized that heart motivation was more important than legalism by far. This was precisely Jesus’ argument with the Pharisees. The Bible tells us again and again that God looks at our hearts, and that’s what He really cares about. External rules can be helpful, but by themselves they are meaningless and can even cause us to miss God completely. That’s what the entire letter to the Galatians is about. Hezekiah recognized that the people were seeking to return to the God of their forefathers, and he knew that fact was far more important than ritual regulations. At the same time, we need to be on our guard against the attitude that if we “love God” we can actively sin and it doesn’t matter. If we genuinely love God, sin will bother us tremendously until we repent of it! Augustine was right in saying, “Love God and do as you please,” but that is because if we genuinely love God, we will be fully obedient to Him. (John 14:15) God desires loving, intimate fellowship with obedient children. If our hearts are truly right, everything else is going to fall into line as well, wherever it was when we started out.

I have always had a strong aversion to legalism, but I have at times gone too far the other direction. It is a balance that can be achieved only when I am fully submitted to the Holy Spirit. I don’t think this church is legalistic, but neither is it consistently filled with the Holy Spirit. We are growing spiritually, but because I am part of that growth I sometimes can’t see what’s going on. I need to trust God and keep pressing into Him, letting Him pull everything together but being fully available to Him for that purpose. I am not to launch out on my own, but neither am I to be passive. If my heart is right before Him, then I will indeed be obedient.

Father, I’m again confronted with the reality that I have neither wisdom nor strength to do it right, but that’s not a problem if I will trust and obey You. Keep me from trying to be in control, and at the same time keep me from being passive. May I be active in doing what You direct, obeying You from the inside out so that the believers here may be led to do likewise, for their blessing and Your glory. Thank You. Praise God!

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

April 20, 2016

Posted on April 22, 2016 by jgarrott

2 Chronicles 7:14 “If my people, who are called by my name, will humble themselves and pray and seek my face and turn from their wicked ways, then will I hear from heaven and will forgive their sin and will heal their land.”

Over 35 years ago Rock Church of Virginia Beach was leading a push with this verse, seeking to get America to repent, but had very little success. The problem was that very few Christians, even, realized that the land was in a spiritual drought and was being consumed by spiritual locusts. Today the situation is a bit more obvious, and dire, and thankfully some people are waking up. As I read this just now I noticed a difference between the English and the Japanese that may hold the key to our applying this verse successfully. Where the English says, “who are called by My name,” the Japanese says, “who call on My name.” There are many people today who have the label “Christian,” or even “evangelical,” but who ignore God and fail to call on Him. This is evident in the presidential election when so many supposedly evangelical voters are ignoring Biblical principles in whom they support. The problem is that these are self-identified evangelicals, rather than people whose lifestyles reflect the Bible. We cannot force others to repent, but we must examine ourselves and repent personally, as well as for the nation. It is perhaps ironic that those who have the least to repent of are most likely to repent, but it has always been this way. Daniel is a prime example, when he repented for the sins of Israel even though he was personally righteous. As a result, God restored the nation of Israel through Ezra and Nehemiah. I don’t know who they were, but I’m sure there were people who repented for the Jewish people before the re-creation of the nation of Israel in 1948 (the year I was born). The point is, even a few people who genuinely seek God can bring His redemption to the whole nation. That is the challenge and the hope right now.

I find myself very involved, even though I am not physically in the US. Actually, Japan is in the same need, though the number of people who even self-identify as Christian is a very small percentage of the population. In America the need is moral and political disaster, and Japan has had repeated physical/natural disasters. In both places the believers, the true Christians, need to wake up, get up, get on their faces before God, and then get to work as He directs. That applies to me for both nations! If I get active and try to accomplish things on my own, without having gotten on my face and repented before God first, then nothing I do will have any lasting good effect. However, if I am humble as David and Daniel were, then I will be available for God to work His will through me. There are some who seem surprised that this church isn’t actively involved in relief efforts after the earthquakes, but there are assorted restraints on that. There are no restraints, however, on prayer! I am to lead this church in prayer that is rooted in humility and faith, so that God will be able to use His Word through us to accomplish what He desires, for the salvation of many and for His glory.

Father, thank You for what You are doing in every part of the Body of Christ. Thank You that we are included in that. Help me not miss anything You are saying, but be instantly obedient on all levels. I know from experience that I can’t do that on my own, so I ask You to work it in and through me, for Your pleasure and glory. Thank You. Praise God!

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

April 19, 2916

Posted on April 20, 2016 by jgarrott

2 Chronicles 7:2 The priests could not enter the temple of the Lord because the glory of the Lord filled it.

I find myself longing for this to happen again. Religion tends to be so man-centered, and this was a powerful reminder that true religion isn’t about man, it’s about God. I have read of times when God’s glory was manifested in a worship setting. There was an incident a few years ago when a heavy Plexiglass pulpit split in the middle of a worship service, and those present were flattened under the weight of God’s presence, but such things are certainly rare, and are quickly forgotten by practically everyone. Without an awareness of the presence, holiness and power of God, church gatherings degenerate into social and political affairs, with people posturing before one another as they go through the motions of worship. That is tragic! The evidence of that is all too evident in the watered-down theology and morality of so many churches today. God does not accept such “worship”! Most of us are included in what Jesus said to Thomas: “Blessed are those who have not seen and yet have believed.” (John 20:29) Our awareness of God is more by faith than by experience. Jesus said that was blessed, but it’s not always easy! However, if our faith leads us to an expectation of God’s presence we will experience it, even if it’s not as dramatic as what happened at the dedication of the temple. We know God not because of external events but by His presence within us, even in very undramatic circumstances.

I have experienced God’s presence powerfully a number of times, but never with fire, smoke, or a split pulpit. However, they have been enough that I am more convinced that God is real than that I am. I exist because of Him; it’s not the other way around. That’s a real blessing. However, I deal with people all the time who don’t have that assurance, even though they want to believe. There is no way I can force them to experience God, which is why I wish for Him to do something dramatic to demonstrate Himself. However, I can teach people to get into the Word in all humility and expectation, because that is where I have met Him more than in any other way. If we depend on dramatic incidents, our faith will fade along with those memories. If we renew our experience of God daily through prayer and reading the Bible, it will be fresh and strong and carry us through anything we might experience. I talk with people about this, but they generally fail to gain a sense of urgency about it. What a waste! I am to pray and to preach and especially to train people to this end, walking them through the process so that they will grasp that God really is speaking to them, so that they may value opening up to hear His voice and rejoicing in fellowship with Him.

Father, last week it was late in the week when You gave me the Sunday message, but You’ve done it early this week! Thank You. I pray that Your words would flow through me in Your power to open the eyes and hearts of all who hear, giving them a hunger for daily fellowship with You so that they may commit themselves to it and to You, and thus allow You to transform them into the children that You desire, for Your glory. Thank You. Hallelujah!

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

April 18, 2016

Posted on April 19, 2016 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.”

I think the fundamental key to David being a man after God’s own heart (Acts 13:22) was his humility before God. He was totally bold from youth, as is evidenced by his encounter with Goliath, which was preceded by encounters with lions and bears, but he knew that everything he had was from God. Just yesterday I preached on self-confidence (which in Japanese is a homophone for earthquake). To outside observers, David probably seemed very self-confident, but this verse shows that he was not. He did get into real trouble when he took his eyes off of God, but he was deeply, fundamentally, aware that he was totally dependent on God. The world today ridicules that attitude. Of the current candidates for President of the United States, only one seems to display that attitude, but most of the world doesn’t seem to notice. That’s not a valued attribute in most people’s opinion. How sad, and potentially disastrous! These days self-promotion seems to be the key, and some of the most famous people got that way by throwing themselves into the gutter, so to speak, just to get noticed, and now they are famous for being famous. How pathetic! David here states truth we all need to remember, however much the world tells us to forget it.

I have been greatly blessed, but there is no question in my mind that it is all grace, and not something I have worked up. For example, you don’t get to choose your own IQ! That means that the big issue for me, as it actually is for everyone, is stewardship. Since everything I have comes from God, how does He want me to use it? That applies to finances, as David was dealing with in this verse, but it also deals with every other detail of my life. I am to have a clear-eyed assessment of what is available to me, and I am to make the use that God intends of every bit of it. That applies down to every second of the day. Life is measured in time, and since my life is a gift from God, my time is to be returned to Him by being used as He intends and desires. The next four months look to be very busy, and I tend to stress out at that. Rather than stress out, I am to consciously give each minute back to God, since He gave it to me in the first place, and not resent what I have to do or what I don’t get to do. I belong to Him, so it’s His business, and I am to be grateful.

Father, thank You for this very timely reminder. Today’s schedule looks very full, with my nursing school classes starting back up today and various other things. Help me rest, relax, and rejoice in You each minute of today, letting Your love and grace flow through me to all I encounter, for their blessing and Your glory. Thank You. Praise God!

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

April 17, 2016

Posted on April 19, 2016 by jgarrott

1 Chronicles 5:20 He answered their prayers, because they trusted in him.

This is a very simple, very fundamental principle of prayer: you need to trust the One to whom you pray. The Japanese translates this verse as “depend on,” which is the same thing in this context. James puts it this way: “He who doubts is like a wave of the sea, blown and tossed by the wind. That man should not think he will receive anything from the Lord.” (James 1:6-7) Faith can be a tricky thing. There is great power in faith, but if we have faith in faith, rather than in God Himself, everything goes wrong. That’s the problem with the “name it and claim it” people: their focus is on faith itself, rather than on God. That said, a great deal of prayer tends to be just wishful thinking, without any real faith associated with it. We are back to the cry of the father of the epileptic boy: “I do believe; help me overcome my unbelief!” (Mark 9:24) Faith itself is a gift from God, (Ephesians 2:8) but it is a gift we must choose to accept. There are countless testimonies down through history of the remarkable things that have happened when people have simply chosen to trust God, and I think this verse is one of those.

I have seen God’s hand work so many times that I ought to have completely rock-solid faith, but it is still a choice I must make. It does get easier with practice! This morning as I rode around to the different churches in town to pray blessing on each one, as I do every Sunday morning, God spoke to me through the two churches that display their sermon titles were they can be read from the road. At the first church I went to the title was, “Feed my sheep.” (The Japanese for that verse says, “Shepherd my sheep.) The second was, “I won’t give up.” (Conversely, that could be rendered, “Don’t give up.”) I’ve been pastoring this flock for 32 years now. We have none of the original members, and have an average stay of only a few years, with Cathy and me being the only constants. At past 65, the temptation to say “That’s it. I’m retiring,” is real. We do have real potential for a successor at this point, but dumping everything on him and walking off is not an option. That’s why those sermon titles were a Word to me. I’ve got to keep my eyes on Jesus, trusting and obeying Him, just as I’ve told others to do for all these years. God isn’t through with me here, and I’ve got to choose to trust Him in that.

Father, thank You for Your faithfulness. Help me look to You consistently enough that Your faithfulness will be manifested in and through me. May I indeed shepherd Your sheep as You desire, not as though they were my property but as a good steward of what is Yours, so that they may be nurtured and grown and matured to be all that You desire, for Your glory. Thank You. Praise God!

Posted in Christian, Uncategorized | Tagged , , , , , , | 2 Comments