May 19, 2016

Posted on May 21, 2016 by jgarrott

Psalm 80:8 You brought a vine out of Egypt;
you drove out the nations and planted it.

Up to now I have largely overlooked this Psalm, and I dare say I have a lot of company in that. Previously, the only thing I had underlined was the refrain asking for restoration, repeated in verses 3, 7, and 19. However, as I read it just now, it struck me that this verse, and the extended simile that follows, ties in with what Jesus said in the Upper Room about Him being the vine and us being the branches. (John 15:1-9) It also links to Matthew 2:15, which quotes Hosea 11:1. “And so was fulfilled what the Lord had said through the prophet: ‘Out of Egypt I called my son.’” (Matthew 2:15) Actually, “Out of Egypt” is a phrase that occurs many times in the Old Testament, so that by itself would hardly be surprising. It is the matter of Jesus using the vine simile that really speaks to me. As He said, if the branches don’t remain firmly and fully connected to the vine, the main trunk, then they wither and die, and certainly produce no fruit. We may think the Church is being ravaged by outside forces, but we need to examine our connection to the Vine. Sadly, there are many churches today that are Christian in name only, because they have chosen things that have cut them off from Christ. Legalism is indeed a scourge, and love is truly the fulfillment of the Law, (Romans 13:10) but we are to love God first, and Jesus said clearly that if we love Him we will obey him. (John 14:15) Claiming that “all loves are the same” is spitting in the face of God. God chose Greek for writing the New Testament for a number of good reasons, and the distinctions among different types of love is one of those. If anyone places eros on the level of agape they are badly deceived, at the very least. If the Church wants to flourish, which it should, it needs to return to its roots, quite literally.

There are some issues on which it is easy for me to point fingers, but I must be careful of my own connection to the Vine. It is only as His life flows through me that I am able to produce the fruit that He and I desire. Conventional terminology makes me an assistant shepherd, (that’s what “pastor” means) and that’s certainly Biblical, but I could also be called an assistant gardener. I need to do all I can to see to it that this church is rooted in the Word of God, with plenty of the water of the Spirit, standing guard against infections and predators, strengthening the trellis to relieve strain. I cannot make fruit happen even in my own life, much less in anyone else’, but I can encourage the conditions that make for fruitfulness, and stay faithful to the Lord of the harvest. (Luke 10:2)

Father, thank You for this Word. I feel like You give me so much! Help me share it effectively, building up believers and churches as You desire, so that Your Church may indeed produce all the fruit that You desire and intend, for Your glory. Thank You. Hallelujah!

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May 18, 2016

Posted on May 20, 2016 by jgarrott

Psalm 69:6 May those who hope in you
not be disgraced because of me,
O Lord, the Lord Almighty;
may those who seek you
not be put to shame because of me,
O God of Israel.

This should be a prayer of every Church leader, and of every believer, actually. When we stumble we affect not just ourselves, but also everyone who is watching us. We shouldn’t be paranoid, but we should be intentional in our imitation of Jesus so that those who see us may be drawn to Him, and not driven away. Mohandas Gandhi once said something like, “I would become a Christian if I ever met one.” That actually was hypocritical, because it was overlooking his own imperfections, but the point is still real. If Christians would live out the faith they proclaim, more people would join them because they’d have no excuse not to. None of us are perfect on this earth, but we need to walk in genuine, active humility and obedience so that we will keep growing more and more like Christ, and not serve as anyone’s excuse not to come to Him.

I am very aware that I am watched, but I should be even more aware that God knows everything about me. If I will walk in consistent obedience, then it won’t be a problem no matter who sees me. Things like pride and insensitivity still trip me up, and they can indeed be ugly. I am reminded of how Japan has seemed to copy the bad things about the US rather than the good. There are things in my life that I would be very happy for people to imitate, because I know they draw me closer to God and they would do the same for others, but it seems like people don’t pick up on those so quickly! However, though I can’t control how others respond to me, I am responsible for how I respond to God, so I need to keep pressing into Him in all faithfulness and humility.

Father, thank You for the magnificent pastors meeting yesterday. I feel like it was the best we’ve ever had. We had full attendance, and the conversation was substantive and spiritual. You are indeed growing us into a band of brothers to shepherd Your flock here in Omura. May we all be strengthened as examples to our respective flocks and to the city as a whole, so that all who seek You, whether they know You yet or not, may be drawn into Your family in truth, for their salvation and Your glory. Thank You. Hallelujah!

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May 17, 2016

Posted on May 20, 2016 by jgarrott

Psalm 66:18 If I had cherished sin in my heart,
the Lord would not have listened.

English translations of this verse generally put it into past tense – If I had cherished – but the Japanese puts it into the present tense – If I cherish. To me that makes it much more immediate, and less a matter of the Psalmist patting himself on the back. The problem is, we like to deny that we are vulnerable to cherishing sin, but none of us are above it. 1 John is very pointed in this area. From 1 John 1:5 through 2:6 he lays it out, and then in 5:18 he comes back to the same theme. “We know that anyone born of God does not continue to sin; the one who was born of God keeps him safe, and the evil one cannot harm him.” This is one place the NIV gets the translation right, in contrast to a number of other translations. That little matter of “continue to sin” is the big point, and it comes back to the same thing the Psalmist said. We all stumble, but the question is whether we wallow in our sin or rather recoil from it. If we put it all in the past, as most English translations of Psalm 66:18 do, then we won’t be on our guard for the traps the devil lays for us today. There are countless examples of people who seemed to be upstanding Christians, but wrecked their lives. Such things never happen without warning, but rather come from sins cherished. As Paul said, “If you think you are standing firm, be careful that you don’t fall!” (1 Corinthians 10:12)

This is a continuing battle for me, as I think it is for every honest believer, because we are all human and the devil seeks to destroy us. I must never think for any reason – pedigree, learning, track record, what have you – that I am invulnerable. Actually, on all those points I am a testimony of God’s grace, not my own achievement. I must never take that grace lightly, or forget for a moment that it is grace. If I do, I will be totally ineffective in communicating the Gospel, because it is not a message of achievement but of grace. As such it is the antithesis of pride, and that is a major reason so many people reject it. It is pride that says that this sin, or that sin, isn’t so bad, because “I can handle it.” That is cherishing sin! That is “snake handling” indeed, and we will get bit.

Father, thank You for Your grace. The closer I get to You the more I realize how huge that grace is, and how absolutely essential it is to me. Things I overlooked in the past become obvious, as You seek to purify me. Thank You. Help me walk in full humility and gratitude, allowing You to transform me so that others may see and be drawn to Jesus Christ through me, for their salvation and Your glory. Thank You. Praise God!

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May 16, 2016

Posted on May 17, 2016 by jgarrott

Psalm 65:2-3 O you who hear prayer,
to you all men will come.
When we were overwhelmed by sins,
you forgave our transgressions.

I know I’ve written on this before, because it’s such a significant pair of verses, expressing two of the most important characteristics of God, when viewed from the human standpoint. The first of those is that God hears prayer. Countless people have tried to deny that, egged on by the devil, because God doesn’t spoil us, answering our every whim. If He did that we would be spoiled indeed, good for nothing to anyone! However, He is very different from the impersonal Watchmaker that some have suggested. He didn’t create the universe, wind the stem, and then just throw it out into space and leave it alone. No, He cares about His creation and He listens to His children. Anyone who understands this is going to come to Him, just as this says. However, there we have another problem: sinful man cannot approach sinless God. Anyone who is honest and understands the holiness of God will indeed be overwhelmed by their own lack of holiness. That’s why it is so incredibly important that God forgives sin. David didn’t know about the cross of Christ that atones for all the sins of mankind, but he had experienced God’s forgiveness, and he was deeply grateful. We know about some of his biggest sins, but like everyone else he had countless smaller sins that aren’t recorded. Even one such sin would bar us from intimacy with God, but the good news is, He forgives!

I have experienced both of these truths about God, and I am deeply grateful. It is a mystery to me that so few people pray like they think God is listening, if they even pray at all. Yesterday’s message was about the Church, as Jesus’ house, being a house of prayer. That’s very true, but by that token, many church buildings could hardly be called churches at all, because so little genuine prayer takes place in them. Brother Kobayashi’s main point was that we are God’s house, and as such should be filled with prayer. That’s something I’ve tried to get across, but with decidedly mixed success. I’m never to give up, but rejoice with those who do grasp the truth and seek to equip them to share it with more and more people. The devil hates God’s truth by definition, and he does all he can to block it being transmitted, but I must remember that He who is in me is greater, (1 John 4:4) and press on in the wisdom and power of God.

Father, thank You for all that You are doing, and for the privilege of being part of it. Thank You that Brother Kobayashi’s first sermon after seminary went as well as it did. Help me be the mentor to him that he needs. He’s only 18 years younger than I am, but the gap is much wider in years since salvation. Help me never put him down, but lift him, draw him toward You with every interaction, so that he may be fully equipped for every good work, (2 Timothy 3:17) for his blessing, the building up of the Body of Christ, and Your glory. Thank You. Hallelujah!

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May 15, 2016

Posted on May 16, 2016 by jgarrott

Psalm 61:2 From the ends of the earth I call to you,
I call as my heart grows faint;
lead me to the rock that is higher than I.

This verse is very familiar to me because of it being set to music, which immediately began running through my mind as soon as I read it. However, I haven’t thought about it that much otherwise. It has a few points that are certainly worth thinking about. The Japanese has a different order from the English, and starts with David’s statement that his heart is growing faint. It’s important that we acknowledge our need as we pray. Some “name it and claim it” people are so afraid of a “negative confession” that they can’t be honest, even with God. How foolish! God already knows our situation, so we’d better be up front about it. However, we have to recognize that God is far bigger than we are; He isn’t limited to our resources. That’s what the rest of the verse is talking about. There’s another interesting difference between the Japanese and the English. Where every English translation I’m aware of says, “Lead me to the rock,” the Japanese says, “Lead me to the top of the rock.” Whether that is significant I’m not sure. “The rock” is obviously a place of safety, and many other references indicate that it is God or Christ. The biggest point is that it is higher than David is. In other words, it is more powerful, it is more secure. Perhaps the Japanese puts it the way it does is because such a rock would be a fortress only if you were on it or in it; just standing beside it would still leave you vulnerable. Actually, that applies to Christ as well. There are people who in a sense come to Christ but never enter in. They might even be church members, but they haven’t really opened their hearts in repentance and love. As has been said, being in a church building doesn’t make you a Christian any more than being in a garage makes you a car. The New Testament talks a great deal about “in Christ.” In fact, my father’s doctoral dissertation was on that topic. However, he told me that he didn’t really know what it meant until after he was a missionary, PhD in hand, and had a powerful encounter with the Holy Spirit. We can’t really abide in Him until He abides in us, and He indwells us by His Spirit.

I hadn’t registered that today was Pentecost Sunday until I heard someone mention it yesterday, and since I’m not the one speaking this morning, there’s not a lot I can do. That’s a good thing, because I couldn’t make God pour out His Spirit in the first place! I have experienced God in power by His Spirit, but it’s not something I can make happen. However, I can walk in humility and purity, asking Him to pour His Spirit through me, and He is amazingly faithful. I must remember at all times that though I am weak and foolish, my God is neither of those things, and He loves me. I cannot save anyone, but God can use even me to save anyone at all. I am to focus on Him, abiding in Him in intimate fellowship by His Spirit, so that I may be fully available to Him at all times to be used however He desires, for His glory.

Father, thank You for incredible, gracious faithfulness. Thank You for being able to attend the 100th anniversary celebrations of the founding of Seinan Gakuin (a school encompassing preschool through doctoral programs) yesterday. Thank You especially that they focused so strongly on the words of the founder, C. K. Dozier: “Seinan, be true to Christ.” Thank You that they are coming back from the extreme secularism that so distressed me not so many years ago. I pray that You would pour Your Spirit out on faculty, staff, and students, so that the school would fulfill the vision of the many saints who have labored there, including my parents. Thank You. Praise God!

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May 14, 2016

Posted on May 16, 2016 by jgarrott

Psalm 55:22 Cast your cares on the Lord
and he will sustain you;
he will never let the righteous fall.

This verse immediately brings to mind 1 Peter 5:7. “Cast all your anxiety on him because he cares for you.” At the same time, it brings to mind Psalm 91 and various other such passages. The Bible is very clear that God cares about us! Then, what about all the trials we experience? Even Old Testament saints didn’t have it easy, and the New Testament days had violent persecution. We are back to John 16:33. “’I have told you these things, so that in me you may have peace. In this world you will have trouble. But take heart! I have overcome the world.’” Whatever we are going through, God does care, and He will bring it all to a good end. (Romans 8:28) To go back to our verse here, the NIV says “cares,” probably under the influence of the 1 Peter verse, but the Japanese and many English translations have “burdens.” Anxiety is a burden! We have expressions like, “take a load off my mind,” that acknowledge that. Frankly, if we try to carry it all ourselves, we will collapse. That’s why the Bible tells us to let God carry it. The Japanese in this verse uses an expression that means to yield, to give the other party both responsibility and authority. I don’t know that “cast” usually carries that much meaning, but I think that meaning is what is intended here. We tend to “place our burdens at the foot of the cross” (as preachers like to say) and then immediately pick them back up again! I say we, because though I am a preacher, I do it too. That’s why God repeats these instructions so many times throughout the Bible, so that we will have some chance at least of taking them to heart and following through.

This is actually a frequent struggle for me. I worry things over in my mind rather than stating the problem clearly, presenting it to God, and then taking my hands off of it. I know that’s what I’m supposed to do, because I tell people that in counseling situations all the time! However, in our humanity it’s not easy. The problem is twofold: my pride wants to come up with the solution myself, and my faith is too weak to trust God to have a solution that I perhaps can’t imagine. I’ve got to give those issues also to God! I can and must renounce my pride, and I can and must choose to trust God. If that is my heart, then He will supply everything that is necessary.

Father, this is certainly a lifelong journey. You have demonstrated Your faithfulness more times and in more ways than I could count, and yet I am so slow to learn. Help me indeed trust You totally, not in a passive way but in active obedience, so that I may be rid of the burdens the devil places on me and “run with patience the race that is set before me,” (Hebrews 12:2) to be and do all that You intend, for Your glory. Thank You. Praise God!

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May 13, 2016

Posted on May 15, 2016 by jgarrott

Psalm 54:4 Surely God is my help;
the Lord is the one who sustains me.

This basic understanding was at the foundation of David’s life. He went through a lot and he did a lot, but he was aware that it was God who got him through it all. As he wrote in Psalm 20, “Some trust in chariots and some in horses, but we trust in the name of the Lord our God.” (Psalms 20:7) Too many of us get far away from that simplicity of faith. We think that doctors heal us or the government rescues us or we accomplish things purely by our own strength and ability, not realizing that it is God, and God alone, who makes all those things possible. The Greeks called that hubris, pride that denies the need for the divine. It’s interesting that they had the word before they had the Gospel, the news of the greatest help God ever has or ever could give to mankind. With the modern secularization of society it’s no longer fashionable to follow James’ instructions: “You ought to say, ‘If it is the Lord’s will, we will live and do this or that.’” (James 4:15) It used to be that people would add, “D.V.” to their plans when writing them. Those are the initials of Deus Volente, “if God wills,” in Latin. I have an Augustinian friar friend who does it even today, but it is certainly rare. Even Moses strongly cautioned the Israelites to “Remember the Lord your God, for it is he who gives you the ability to produce wealth.” (Deuteronomy 8:18) Otherwise, they would be blinded by their own success, turn from God, and be destroyed. We need to pay more attention to David, Moses, and James even today.

I have certainly had my times of ignoring God, thinking that the abilities I have were independent of Him, and it has never turned out well. I am to be a faithful and active steward of all He has placed in my hands, but I am never to think for a moment that I could accomplish anything without Him. Even if “my arms can bend a bow of bronze,” I need to remember that “It is God who trains my hands for battle.” (Psalm 18:34) I am not to be cowed by any challenge, but remember that it is God’s power that will come through and not my own. I am to be careful to give God the glory for everything He does through me and help others understand that He can and wants to operate through them, too. That’s particularly important in the church, where so many want to leave everything up to the “professionals,” thinking they can’t really do anything. I think that over the years I have tended to do too much, not allowing church members to do things if I thought I could do them better. That’s just another face of hubris, forgetting that if God can use me, He can use them too.

Father, thank You for this strong reminder. Thank You that I won’t be preaching this Sunday, but allowing our recent seminary graduate to do so. Keep me from being judgmental about his message and/or his delivery. May I hear from You through him, and be the encouragement and mentor to him that he needs, so that this church may be built up as You desire and intend, for Your glory. Thank You. Hallelujah!

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May 12, 2016

Posted on May 13, 2016 by jgarrott

Psalm 42:5 Why are you downcast, O my soul?
Why so disturbed within me?
Put your hope in God,
for I will yet praise him,
my Savior and my God.

This refrain, which appears again in verse 11 and in 43:5, is very familiar, but I just noticed something in the perhaps more literal Japanese translation. It says, “I will praise the salvation of His face.” That doesn’t click immediately, but going back to some Davidic Psalms (this one is by “the Sons of Korah”) the point comes across that simply being with God is salvation. We forget that sometimes! We are anxious and distressed only to the degree that we fail to be at rest in Him. The world is full of things to upset us, but when we fix our hearts on our unchanging Rock, we have stability that is available no other way. It’s been several years since I heard a presentation by an American psychologist about the great increase in mental illness because of people being unable to handle the rate of change in the world today, and just this week I was talking with a Japanese psychologist who was saying the same thing, though he was saying “stress” rather than “rate of change.” There simply isn’t enough stability in the world today to keep us on an even keel if we don’t have something bigger, more solid, to depend on. Writing that, Jesus’ story of the two builders came to mind. (Matthew 7:24-27) It’s not a question of whether storms will come; they will. The question is rather whether we will have the foundation necessary for us to be able to withstand them. People want to know how to abide in God’s presence, but Jesus said it very clearly: “If you remain in me and my words remain in you, ask whatever you wish, and it will be given you.” (John 15:7) The whole Upper Room Discourse is filled with references to letting the Word of God abide in us, and being obedient to it. When we “hide His Word in our hearts,” (Psalm 119:11) we experience an intimacy with Him that gives stability even in the most violent of storms.

Recently I have been very disturbed by what presidential politics has been revealing about the spiritual state of America, but this applies there as well. If I will fellowship with God through His Word, I will know that He always has the last answer, and it’s a good one. It may often be different from what my imagination would paint, but it will always be better. There is no possible way I could even keep track of all that is going on even in one city, much less a nation or the whole world. God not only keeps track, He is sovereign. He allows some pretty horrible things simply because of His choice to give us free will, but that doesn’t mean He’s abdicated His throne. Over 20 years ago I was lying in bed thinking, “There are so many things I wish were different,” when God spoke up and said, “How do you think I feel?” I was totally blown out of the water! I need to remember that evil is never the last answer, and I should rest, relax, and rejoice in my Lord and my God.

Father, thank You for this reminder. Help me not forget it! You have had to point it out to me so many times over the years, because I am so prone to focus on things other than You. Thank You for the message You spoke through me on that very subject just this last Sunday. Help me live out the truth You speak through me, so that all of Your purposes for me may be fulfilled, on Your schedule and for Your glory. Thank You. Praise God!

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May 11, 2016

Posted on May 12, 2016 by jgarrott

Psalm 39:7-8 But now, Lord, what do I look for?
My hope is in you.
Save me from all my transgressions;
do not make me the scorn of fools.

It is always interesting to be struck by verses I had not previously underlined. David has just been talking about the brevity of human life on earth, and here we see his response to that reality. I love the way the Japanese expresses verse seven: “Now, Lord, what shall I wait in hope for? You are my hope.” He then goes on to acknowledge his sinfulness, asking to be saved and not to be made the scorn of fools, that is, those who say there is no God. (Psalm 14:1) It is no wonder David has been held up as an example to all believers, despite his very real failures. God isn’t pleased with formal religion, He is pleased with hearts that turn to Him in humility and faith. (Isaiah 57:15 and many more) This world can get pretty hopeless at times, but when God Himself is our hope, we can get through anything. However, we cannot be presumptuous, but rather repent immediately of sin and walk in the humble assurance of His grace.

I think the current state of America has been most damaging to my hope recently. It certainly looks like America is coming under God’s judgment, and that we could well be fully into the narrative described in Revelation. However, even if that is the case, or especially if that is the case, I should be filled with hope, because God Himself is my hope, and not any human system, political or otherwise. It is sad indeed that such a large percentage of Americans are enthusiastic supporters of manifestly ungodly politicians, of both major parties, but that is sad, not hopeless. My hope is not in a resurgence of America, but in the establishment of the Kingdom of God. That will not come by political means or even by religious means, if religion is defined as human activity. Rather, it will happen by the sovereign will of God, through His children who are fully submitted to Him. I need to be sure of my submission, of my focus, so that I will be useful to Him rather than in the way. I must not define in my mind what He is to do, and so miss what He actually is doing. I want my life to be a testimony and not a laughingstock, so that as many as will may join me in God’s kingdom.

Father, thank You for Your grace and for Your faithfulness. Thank You that when You are truly my hope I have absolutely nothing to fear. Help me stand against every temptation to anxiety but trust You completely, so that all of Your plans for me may be fulfilled, for Your glory. Thank You. Praise God!

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May 10, 2016

Posted on May 11, 2016 by jgarrott

Psalm 35:3 Say to my soul,
“I am your salvation.”

I doubt very much that Psalm 35 is very many people’s favorite Scripture. However, as an article I ran across just yesterday in the Internet said, any time we read the Bible we need to ask, “What does this teach me about God?” If we will do that, even passages like Leviticus and Numbers can be channels of real blessing. This Psalm is a protest to God about treacherous enemies, but this phrase really caught my eye. It shows clearly that David was very aware of God as objective reality; he didn’t think it was his own imagination talking to him, and it wasn’t something he had worked up. Atheists down through the centuries have maintained that all religion was a product of human imagination. I can’t say that imagination hasn’t played a part in some of the forms of religion, even within Christianity, but God Himself is objective reality. I am often amazed at the ignorance of God that I see expressed even by ostensible Christians. Rather than get into the Bible themselves, they have gone entirely by what one preacher or another has said, and the result is often a horrible mess. If we start with the basic premise that God is real and that He has given us the Bible to tell us about Him, then a lot of the junk should fall away. Like David, we need to ask God to speak to us, to assure us that He is our salvation and to show us the way we should go. As John said, the Holy Spirit is available to teach us, if we are open to Him. (1 John 2:27) John was present in the Upper Room when Jesus said, “The Counselor, the Holy Spirit, whom the Father will send in my name, will teach you all things and will remind you of everything I have said to you.” (John 14:26) We need to get into the Word and ask the Holy Spirit to bring it to life in our hearts.

I had the incredible advantage of growing up immersed in the Bible, in a household that loved and served God. That, with a lifelong habit of daily devotions, has given me a familiarity with the Word that too often I take for granted. I find I often say things that seem so obvious to me as to go without saying, and people around me react as though I had said something unusually profound. That still bothers me! I am dismayed at the level of spiritual blindness I encounter. I am not to give up, but remember that I too still have much to learn, and consistently speak the truth in love in all humility. I am to ask God to speak to me, as David did, and I am to ask Him to speak to those to whom I minister, whether it is through me or otherwise. If they will learn to hear from Him, believing that He really does love them enough to speak to them and teach them personally, then my job is done.

Father, thank You for the privilege of speaking Your words. However, I desire even more that each of my hearers would learn to hear You directly. May my words always point them to You and not to me, so that in faith they may enter into the fellowship with You for which You created them, for their infinite blessing and Your glory. Thank You. Hallelujah!

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