May 9, 2016

Posted on May 11, 2016 by jgarrott

Psalm 32:5 Then I acknowledged my sin to you
and did not cover up my iniquity.
I said, “I will confess
my transgressions to the Lord”—
and you forgave
the guilt of my sin.

This verse is one of the most important that David ever wrote, and he wrote a lot! He had discovered the same principle that John wrote so memorably: “If we confess our sins, he is faithful and just and will forgive us our sins and purify us from all unrighteousness.” (1 John 1:9) David did not know of the birth, life, and atoning death of Jesus (though he prophesied the crucifixion in amazing detail in Psalm 22) but he had discovered that repentant confession brings forgiveness. The Catholic Church institutionalized confession, which wasn’t necessarily bad in itself, but by formalizing it in a number of ways it removed much of the sincerity for a lot of people. Without repentance, confession can be bragging! Sometimes we do need to confess our sins to our brothers and sisters in Christ, (James 6:16) but that is certainly not limited to priests. We need to confess first of all to God, and then to people as He directs. When we have sinned against a particular person or group, often we need to confess to them, but sometimes the confession will do more harm than good, so we need wisdom. That said, many of the major revivals in human history have at least started with open confession of sins. Revivals in China, Wales, and America immediately come to mind. God responds to genuine repentance, and we must never forget that.

One of the biggest benefits of being raised by a father who had absolute honesty as a foundational principle was that honesty before God has always seemed to be a given for me. I’ve always known I couldn’t fool God. That doesn’t mean I haven’t managed to fool myself! However, when I have come to my senses, talking to God about what I have done has come easily. The danger there lies in taking it lightly, which I must never do, because sin is sin, and must be dealt with in genuine repentance. That doesn’t mean that confessing sin to others has been easy! Since I know that God already knows everything I do it’s not hard to confess to Him, but in my humanity I fear the reaction of people. However, I have found that those who matter think more of me for my honesty, and those who think less don’t really matter. I am coming around to Paul’s position on that point, expressed in 1 Corinthians 4:1-5. Any time the Holy Spirit shines His light on an issue in my heart or actions I need to confess it immediately to God and then, as He directs, to others.

Father, there are no words to thank You enough for Your forgiveness. Thank You for loving us so much as to send Your Son to die for us. Thank You that He intercedes for us as one who has been through the same temptations and so can identify with us, even though He didn’t yield to the temptations. Help me be more effective in sharing the marvelous truth that forgiveness is available, so that more and more may repent and believe, for their salvation and Your glory. Thank You. Hallelujah!

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May 8, 2016

Posted on May 11, 2016 by jgarrott

Psalm 17:14, 14 O Lord, by your hand save me from such men,
from men of this world whose reward is in this life.
And I—in righteousness I shall see your face;
when I awake, I shall be satisfied with seeing your likeness.

This appears to be a very clear reference to eternal life, at least for the righteous, and it’s a beautiful one. First it speaks of people of this world whose inheritance is life in this world, and then it speaks of “when I awake,” that is, from death. David seems to be saying that his enemies are pretty pathetic, because they have nothing better to look forward to than this life. That’s pretty remarkable, when Jesus had not yet been resurrected to demonstrate victory over death. And then there is the last part, which people who don’t enjoy fellowship with God really can’t understand at all: just seeing God will be the greatest reward, and complete satisfaction. I see lots of cartoons that imply that heaven is pretty boring, but they are certainly the works of people who have never tasted God in this life. The attitude of anyone who has tasted God is going to be that expressed in the song, I Can Only Imagine, which talks about getting to heaven. As John and Paul both said, there is much we don’t know, but what we do know is pretty wonderful. (1 John 3:2-3, 1 Corinthians 13:12) There is a lot in this world that can really drag us down, but if our hope is beyond this world we can have peace and joy in the middle of anything.

I will never forget a time when I was in a small prayer meeting with three brothers in Christ and the awareness of God, and the sheer joy of it, was so intense that I felt that one more drop and my physical body would give up, and I had to ask the Lord to back off a bit. When I write it like that it doesn’t seem to make much sense, but I know what I experienced. As David said, just seeing God’s face will more than compensate for anything negative whatsoever. Paul put it this way: “For our light and momentary troubles are achieving for us an eternal glory that far outweighs them all.” (2 Corinthians 4:17) I know that my current, temporal mind can’t grasp the fullness of what awaits me when I am done with physical limitations, but I know that God is love, (1 John 4:8) and His plans for me are incredibly good. “Incredible” means “unbelievable,” but by the grace of God I do believe, though I can’t begin to grasp the fullness of it all. I am never to fear anything on this earth, because I know that it is totally insignificant compared to what awaits me in my Father’s presence.

Father, thank You for the assurance of heaven. There is indeed so much that seeks to drag me down in countless ways. Help me lift my eyes from all the junk and fix them on Jesus, (Hebrews 12:2) so that You may fill my heart, mind, and spirit with Your Spirit, washing out all the dirt and preparing me for unhindered fellowship with You, for Your glory. Thank You. Hallelujah!

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May 7, 2016

Posted on May 8, 2016 by jgarrott

Psalm 6:1 O Lord, do not rebuke me in your anger
or discipline me in your wrath.

I think my head must have been taking a vacation when I chose the passages for this list on prayer, because I just entered “pray*” as a search term and went with what turned up. There are many prayers in the Bible that don’t include that word! David in particular addressed many of his Psalms to the Lord, which makes them prayers whether he used that word in them or not. Any Psalm that starts with “O Lord” is a prayer! John Denver’s song, Rocky Mountain High, has a line that actually describes the sort of prayer life we should aspire to: “Talk to God and listen to the casual reply.” The irony there is that John Denver gave little evidence of having a personal relationship with Jesus Christ himself. We should be aware that God always hears us, but that our hearts need to be humble and submitted before Him for there to be real fellowship. The Bible uses the phrase, “God heard me” meaning that a request was granted, but that’s a very limited meaning. Actually, there is nothing that God does not hear, simply because He is God. Today we tend to say, “God answered me” with the same meaning, but that too is inaccurate. Sometimes God’s answer is, “No.” “God granted my request,” would be more accurate. I think Paul’s admonition to “Pray without ceasing” (1 Thessalonians 5:17) is talking about being aware constantly that God is listening, not just to our words but to our thoughts. Vocal prayer has great value in focusing our thoughts, as well as in praying in unity with others, but you can’t literally be talking constantly (whatever jokes some men might make about some women). However, you can be aware that God is listening even to all your thoughts, and live in grateful appreciation of that reality.

As I have written before, I grew up in a home where prayer was as natural as breathing, and I think that came from this awareness. I wish my awareness of God’s omniscience had led me to more consistent obedience! Today, even as I deal with my own lapses in obedience, I seek to lead others into the intimacy with God that He desires and for which He created us. It can be a pretty frustrating task! Very few people are comfortable with the idea of God hearing everything they say or even think, because they don’t have a good grasp of the atoning work of Jesus Christ. When we believe in Him, we really are children of God, as the New Testament talks about again and again. As human fathers we often fail to listen to our children, but as the perfect Father, God never fails at all. I have to correct people’s image of what a father really is before they become genuinely comfortable with talking with God. Actually, I can’t do that at all in my own wisdom and strength, so I have to depend on the Holy Spirit to reveal God’s love to people’s hearts. Only then will they delight to talk with Him.

Father, thank You for this further expansion of how to talk about prayer. Like John, I do desire that every one of Your children discover all that position means. (1 John 3:1) Help me delight to operate in that position fully myself, so that You in turn may be delighted with me. Thank You. Praise God!

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May 6, 2016

Posted on May 8, 2016 by jgarrott

Psalm 5:3 In the morning, O Lord, you hear my voice;
in the morning I lay my requests before you
and wait in expectation.

I have written and even preached on this verse, because it expresses an essential part of my lifestyle. Right now the wording of the Japanese translation particularly impresses me. Expressed in English, the second half of the verse comes out as, “At dawn I make preparation (make an offering) for You and am on the lookout.” Getting up early to spend time with God can indeed be a sacrifice. I am reminded of David’s words at the threshing floor of Araunah the Jebusite: “I will not sacrifice to God that which cost me nothing.” (2 Samuel 24:24) We tend to give to God only what is convenient, or what feels good at the moment. The focus of society is on making things easy, but sometimes the sports training motto is true: no pain, no gain. The widow’s offering also comes to mind. (Luke 21:1-4) Our gifts to God are far more meaningful when they really cost us something, in time, effort, or what have you. The flip side of that is knowing that we don’t do such things in a vacuum; God pays attention and will respond. The NIV captures that with “wait in expectation.” Sometimes God surprises us when He speaks to us, but we are more likely to hear Him accurately when we are expecting it. Making time every morning to pray and get into the Bible isn’t an obligation, it’s a privilege, and the benefits are beyond expressing in words.

I have had morning devotions as the cornerstone of my lifestyle for many years now, and I am deeply grateful. It is especially when I feel least like doing it that I know I need it most. Sometimes I have to sit quietly before the Lord for a while before I can even muster the presence of mind to pray, much less focus on the Bible to read it. Those are my times of greatest need. I have to prepare my heart and mind to fellowship with my Lord and receive what He has to say to me. However, all my years of experience have taught me without question that He is absolutely faithful, though I am not. I mess up more times than I like to think about, but He never misses a beat. I can indeed approach Him every morning with full expectation that He is going to meet with me, and that is glorious indeed.

Father, thank You for Your grace toward me. Thank You for loving me despite my failures and my petty rebellions. Thank You for preparing the way for me to come to You through Your Son, my Lord Jesus Christ. Help me be more effective in drawing others into Your way, so that they too may walk with You in the light of life, for their salvation and Your glory. Thank You. Hallelujah!

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May 5, 2016

Posted on May 7, 2016 by jgarrott

Psalm 4:2 How long, O men, will you turn my glory into shame?
How long will you love delusions and seek false gods?

I think God is saying this even today. In a footnote the NIV gives “lies” as an alternative to “false gods,” and that is the way the Japanese translates it as well. That broadens this considerably and makes it even more applicable to current events. Americans are demonstrating in droves that they are seeking lies, supporting politicians who ridicule God and His Word by their words, actions, and lifestyles. Such things are lies, and come from the father of lies. (John 8:44) It is some comfort to read the passage where Jesus described the devil that way, because after all the horror of Jesus’ arrest, trial, scourging and crucifixion, resurrection happened. America, and indeed the world, seems determined to go to hell, but God is still God. Like Daniel, Ezra, and Nehemiah, we need to repent of the sins of our culture and nation, recognizing that we have had a part in them, through inaction at the very least, and seek Him for what we are to do and how we are to live now. Light shines brightest when the surroundings are dark, and every child of God needs to take seriously Jesus’ words about light and salt. (Matthew 5:13-16)

I told my wife this morning that I felt like I woke up but the nightmare was still going on. It was a real gut punch yesterday to read that the one presidential candidate whom I felt I could vote for in good conscience had dropped out. I certainly don’t blame him, but I see the circumstances that brought him to that decision as evidence the judgment of God is coming on America, and that grieves me deeply. At the same time, I am not to stop praying and trusting God, knowing that He can and does use horrible circumstances for good, and for His glory. (Romans 8:28) I am to continue to be active in seeking to draw as many people as possible into God’s family, into a strong and active relationship with Jesus as Lord by the power of the Holy Spirit. As the hymn says, “My hope is built on nothing less than Jesus’ blood and righteousness.” I am not dependent on anything temporal. I was not and am not fearful for myself personally, but I grieve indeed for what America is doing to itself. I am not to focus on that grief, but on the One who will wipe away every tear. (Isaiah 25:8, Revelation 7:17, 21:4)

Father, thank You for still being God. I continue to pray for Your mercy on America and on the world. Thank You that we have the assurance in Revelation that You are going to sort everything out in the end. Keep me from being anxious about how You are going to do that, but rather be active in my obedience to You in whatever part You have for me to play, for Your glory. Thank You. Praise God!

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May 4, 2016

Posted on May 7, 2016 by jgarrott

Job 42:10 After Job had prayed for his friends, the Lord made him prosperous again and gave him twice as much as he had before.

The way I read this, Job had to forgive his friends before God could/would restore him to full prosperity. There was ample opportunity for Job to hold a grudge, considering all that his friends had said to him, but holding grudges is poisonous. Job also had to forgive God, but God had taken care of that in the interchange that preceded this. Nothing blocks the flow of God’s blessings more quickly or thoroughly than unforgiveness. Jesus said essentially that it can even block our salvation. (Matthew 6:14-15) The world is full of sayings like, “Revenge is a dish best served cold,” but someone who lives like that has already poisoned themselves. Much of the violence in the world comes from this very thing, as individuals and nations “pay each other back” for wrongs real or imagined. The thing is, if that is our attitude, then we will indeed imagine wrongs done to us so that we will be “justified” in our actions toward others. That is evident in the news every day, with every imaginable form of violence. The incredible thing is how many of those perpetrating the violence seem to feel no remorse, because the devil has told them they only “gave the other person their due.” The thing is, the devil is a liar, and he only wants to steal, kill, and destroy. (John 10:10) We need to be like Jesus, who forgave incredible, and very real, wrongs done to Him, even as He hung on the cross. (Luke 23:34) If we will do that, we will experience unimaginable blessings.

I am constantly dealing with the issue of forgiveness because it is such a thorny one in Japanese culture. The Japanese have glorified revenge in such stories as The 47 Samurai. (The Japanese title for that is The Storehouse of Faithful Hearts.) The language itself clouds the meaning of forgiveness, because the word is a homophone for one that means permission. The average Japanese doesn’t even know the character that means “forgiveness,” and instead uses the one that means “permission” for everything. I teach on the issue at every opportunity and have written a brief tract on the subject, but the issue is far deeper than intellectual understanding, and the truth takes time to sink in. For that matter, people in other cultures get deceived on this issue as well! I am never to give up, but keep speaking the truth in love, as well as demonstrating it in my daily life, so that the Holy Spirit may use that truth to set people free.

Father, You know what bondage this issue brings to the Japanese. I ask You to pour Your Spirit out on this nation so that people may understand their own sin and Your forgiveness that is available to them, and so choose to forgive those around them, for their salvation and Your glory. Thank You. Hallelujah!

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May 3, 2016

Posted on May 4, 2016 by jgarrott

Job 33:29-30 “God does all these things to a man—
twice, even three times—
to turn back his soul from the pit,
that the light of life may shine on him.”

Elihu is an interesting character in the Book of Job. He is not among the three friends, and so does not come under God’s words of correction at the end. What he says is similar, but in a number of ways subtly different from what they say. Some interpreters/theologians feel he is a representation of authentic truth, in contrast to the platitudes expressed by the three friends. In any case, this particular monologue is a striking one, expressing God’s motivation for allowing trials in our lives. It is confirmation that God is never mean, however rough our circumstances might be. The Book of Job does not speak directly of eternal life, but in several places, including this one, it may be taken that way. After all, the “light of life” in Christ is indeed eternal! From the New Testament we understand that the trials we endure include physical death, but that is far from the end. We need to so live that our physical death is a graduation, a release into the glory that God has prepared for us in Christ. Those without that hope very reasonably fear death very much, and many try to mask that by saying that death is purely a negation, and there is nothing at all afterward. That’s easier to face than full accountability for how we have lived! The Gospel states that we indeed have an Intercessor, as even Elihu refers to. That intercessor is Jesus Christ, who took on our human form so that He could also take the weight of our sins on Himself, so that those who believe in Him could have eternal life. (John 3:16)

This is of course the message that I try to communicate to everyone. I have experienced the Lord’s correction a few times myself, and as the Bible says, that’s not much fun at the time. (Hebrews 12:11) However, I have also experienced peace and joy, even in the middle of the hard times, to a level that those who don’t know Christ find remarkable. Such times are the best validation of the Gospel I speak, so I don’t draw back from them. I desire to take as many people as possible with me to heaven. After all, people are all I can take! I am not to “kick against the goads,” (Acts 26:14) but allow God to guide and correct and use me, so that all of His purposes for me may be fulfilled, for His glory.

Father, thank You for all You allow me to experience. Thank You for the little irritations that I so often fail to release to You. It is much easier to recognize big things as trials and learn from them! Help me be a good student, learning and applying all that You teach me, so that people may see Christ in me and be drawn to You for their salvation and Your glory. Thank You. Hallelujah!

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May 2, 2016

Posted on May 4, 2016 by jgarrott

Job 22:21 “Submit to God and be at peace with him;
in this way prosperity will come to you.”

The biggest problem with this passage is that it was spoken by one of Job’s friends, and so is suspect. It isn’t that it’s not generally true, it’s that it’s a truism, a pat answer that doesn’t deal with all the variables. It’s the kind of passage loved by “name it and claim it” people. This passage isn’t wrong, but life isn’t so cut-and-dried. That’s why it’s so important to be submitted to the Holy Spirit any time we read the Bible, to let Him speak into our hearts what God is saying to us, rather than trying to force some desired scenario. That actually is the point of the whole Book of Job: not all suffering is our fault, and things are not necessarily as they seem to human eyes. Humility is an essential component of a genuinely successful life. It is conspicuously absent in many public figures who are generally looked on as successful, but their “success” is an empty shell, and their collapse is inevitable. It is genuinely dangerous when we so adulate them as to make them our leaders, because as the Bible states so clearly, “The fear of the Lord is the beginning of wisdom, and knowledge of the Holy One is understanding.” (Proverbs 9:10) The fear of the Lord is inseparable from humility before Him. That is why atheists are ultimately very foolish, regardless of their IQ. (Psalm 53:1) Even many “religious” people are actually ignoring God as they go through their rituals, and so don’t know Him at all. (Matthew 7:21-23)

This is an issue I need to be very careful about. I have countless Scriptures on the tip of my tongue, but if I spout them simply as I see fit, rather than under the direction of the Holy Spirit, they do neither me nor the people who hear me any good. I must not let God’s truth descend into the area of truisms by using it lightly. I have been like Job’s friends more often than I like to admit! I am to speak God’s truth in love, letting the Holy Spirit guide me not only in what to say but how to say it, so that the words that come from my mouth may bring conviction but not condemnation, healing rather than wounding, light and not darkness.

Father, thank You for pointing out my similarity to Job’s friends. It’s painful, but important to remember! Help me be gentle with others because I’m humble before You. May I exhibit Your strength and Your wisdom, not to inflate me but to bring Your good will to pass in the hearts and lives of those around me, for their blessing and Your glory. Thank You. Praise God!

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May 1, 2016

Posted on May 4, 2016 by jgarrott

Job 21:14-15 “Yet they say to God, ‘Leave us alone!
We have no desire to know your ways.
Who is the Almighty, that we should serve him?
What would we gain by praying to him?'”

This is a remarkably accurate portrait of an awful lot of people today. They literally see no benefit to themselves to serving God, so they have nothing to do with Him. They forget that life on this earth is just a prelude to eternity, and their eyes are blinded to their fate. Paul tells us clearly that it is the devil who has blinded them, (2 Corinthians 4:4) but he has done so with their full cooperation. They are self-centered, which means flesh-centered, and they don’t want to face anything that confronts them with the foolishness of that attitude. In counseling I frequently tell people that selfishness never leads to true happiness, but many of them don’t want to hear it. The best that selfishness can give us is momentary pleasure, but with the devil’s encouragement, people plunge into it anyway. Reading the account of creation in Genesis, everything God created was good. The first time that’s not the case is when God said, “It is not good that the man should be alone.” (Genesis 2:18) We isolate ourselves when we look at everyone on the basis of what they can do for us, what benefit we can get from them. That is the attitude toward God that Job is talking about here, and nothing good can possibly come of it.

I too have a decidedly self-centered streak, and it has proved to be quite stubborn. I know from experience that my greatest joy, peace, and happiness come when I am closest to God and relating rightly to others, but my flesh doesn’t want to admit that. To answer the rhetorical question that Job says evil people pose, the benefit I get from serving God and praying to Him is fulfilling the purpose for which I was created, and that is by definition the greatest of benefits. I am not to give up on myself when selfishness rears its head in my heart, but rather confess it and repent, accepting God’s strength to replace my own, so that I may walk in His way. (Isaiah 40:31) I have plenty of opportunities to deny myself, take up my cross, and follow Christ. (Luke 9:23) However difficult that might be at the moment, I know that the eternal rewards will be more than worth it. (2 Corinthians 4:17)

Father, thank You for all You allow me to go through to wean me away from being self-centered. Thank You for the joy of being a channel of Your grace to others. I pray that in the service today I would be an open channel indeed, allowing Your grace to flow through me unhindered, not just in words but in attitude and action. May I proclaim Your truth in love so that people may receive it and be set free, for their salvation and Your glory. Thank You. Hallelujah!

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April 30, 2016

Posted on May 1, 2016 by jgarrott

Job 16:19-21 Even now my witness is in heaven;
my advocate is on high.
My intercessor is my friend
as my eyes pour out tears to God;
on behalf of a man he pleads with God
as a man pleads for his friend.

One of the most remarkable things about the whole Book of Job is Job’s conviction that he had an intercessor on his side in heaven. After all that happened to him, and then his friends heaping pious platitudes on him instead of providing real comfort, he is still convinced that he’s got someone on his side in heaven. That had to be a divine revelation, because nothing else makes real sense. It’s not until Jesus’ resurrection and ascension that we have clear theological basis for such a conviction, but now we know that Jesus is at the Father’s side interceding for us. (Hebrews 7:25) Even if we go through trials that rival those of Job, if we have that assurance we can make it through. The hymn, It Is Well With My Soul expresses that beautifully, and it indeed arose from just such a tragic situation. That hymn perfectly illustrates Paul’s words of encouragement to the Corinthians: “Praise be to the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, the Father of compassion and the God of all comfort, who comforts us in all our troubles, so that we can comfort those in any trouble with the comfort we ourselves have received from God.” (2 Corinthians 1:3-4) God doesn’t waste anything, and His ultimate motive is always love, even in trials such as Job’s. If we can get that truth down into the depths of our being, then we can make it through anything.

Objectively speaking, my trials have been pretty light, however they felt at the time. They have never come close to what my brothers and sisters in Muslim countries endure for their faith. That said, all suffering is subjective, to the point that it is only as bad as we think it is. That is to say, having a pity party actually makes my suffering worse! I recall people’s reactions when I was hospitalized for surgery for a fairly good-sized skin cancer. They expected me to be all distraught, and I was like, “It’s just a basal cell carcinoma, so cutting it off is all I need. I won’t even need radiation or chemotherapy.” For me, it was something of a vacation, really, and interesting interaction with former nursing school students. I have found that the more I am aware of how blessed I am, the more I am able to enjoy those blessings and get through the rough spots.

Father, I deal with people all the time who are convinced their problems are terrible, and they suffer proportionately. Help me speak Your truth, Your comfort to them without putting them down, so that they may see themselves and their situations from Your perspective and rejoice in You, for their blessing and Your glory. Thank You. Praise God!

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