March 20, 2016

Posted on March 22, 2016 by jgarrott

Exodus 33:13 “If you are pleased with me, teach me your ways so I may know you and continue to find favor with you. Remember that this nation is your people.”

It just struck me that Moses had every reason to pray this prayer, because none of the Bible had been written at this point. It was Moses himself who wrote the first five books, during the 40 years of wandering in the desert after this. Being guided in that writing was a very real answer, and a magnificent one, to this very prayer. That said, this is the sort of prayer God delights to answer, because it is focused more on God than it is on the person praying. However, if we pray this exact prayer today, the first thing God will say is, “Well, have you read my Book?” God does reveal Himself individually to us today, but the first method He uses to do that is the Bible. We do need the help of the Holy Spirit to grasp it properly, but the words are there. God speaks to different people in different ways, and some do see visions and hear essentially direct speech. However, especially for such people, it is essential to be grounded in the Word, because there are definitely lying spirits out there that try to divert us from God’s way. (1 Kings 22:22-23) The devil himself is a consummate liar, and he even quotes the Bible! (Luke 4:9-11) When we are really familiar with the Word, lies about God become obvious. If we want to know more of God and His ways, desiring to be obedient to Him, the first thing we will do is seek to absorb His Word, not as abstract knowledge, but as something to put into practice. (James 1:22)

I have gone through periods of seeking God, periods of taking Him for granted, and periods of ignoring Him. Seeking Him is definitely best! Growing up in the home I did, particularly with reading through the Bible (RSV) before I was a teenager, I’ve always had knowledge about God, which is why I am very aware there is a huge difference between knowing about Him and knowing Him. My life in the 60 years since my baptism has been a process of getting to know Him. At this point, knowing Him fully is one of my greatest anticipations about heaven. (1 Corinthians 13:12) I have learned that everything He had people write about Him in the Bible is true, and can be counted on. I am still learning to trust Him more and obey Him better, which seems almost ironic considering how much practice He’s given me in that, but it just shows my human fallibility. I have been given the privilege of leading others to know Him better, and that is a high calling indeed. If I pretend to have it all together, I will benefit no one and potentially cause real harm. I am not to look down on anyone, but remember God’s grace toward me and extend it to others. God is the only one who cannot make mistakes! As He has told me, I am to rest, relax, and rejoice in Him. If I will do that, I will indeed lead others to do likewise.

Father, yesterday was a pretty rough day as I came face to face with the results of my own procrastination and lack of organization. Thank You for pointing out so strongly that I have no room to look down on others who lose out because of procrastination. Right now I have very little emotional margin because of all that has been going on. That just shows how much room I have to grow in resting, relaxing, and rejoicing in You. May I take my hands off of the wheel today and let You drive, so that all of Your purposes for me in this day may be fulfilled, on Your schedule and for Your glory. Thank You. Praise God!

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March 19, 2016

Posted on March 22, 2016 by jgarrott

Exodus 10:16-17 Pharaoh quickly summoned Moses and Aaron and said, “I have sinned against the Lord your God and against you. Now forgive my sin once more and pray to the Lord your God to take this deadly plague away from me.”

Pharaoh is a very clear bad example, and we need to learn from him, not to imitate him. Pharaoh’s words were perfect here, which shows how deceitful the human heart can be. It also shows why John the Baptist and Jesus, not to mention numbers of prophets, all emphasized action to back up our words. Words can be vitally important, but if the heart is not in them they are empty indeed. That’s why there are so many “Christian” pagans running around: they said the prescribed words, but their heart was not really in it. Just this week, the pastor who spoke briefly at an interdenominational prayer meeting talked about how he was baptized as a boy but without real faith, leaving him a baptized pagan. It wasn’t until he attended a retreat in college that he surrendered himself to Christ and was born again. The Bible is filled with examples of one sort and another, both good and bad. Civilization advances, but the human heart remains the same, which is why all those examples are valid today. We need to learn to say the right words, yes, but follow through and do as we say, so that we won’t deceive ourselves. (James 1:22)

If someone came to me saying what Pharaoh did, I would in all probability take it as genuine repentance and would see no obstacle to baptizing them. However, I have baptized some people who were no more sincere than he was! Actually, at that moment even he probably thought he was sincere! We are not to place unnecessary obstacles in people’s way, but we are to leave the matter of salvation in God’s hands. I would rather baptize some who were not sincere than fail to baptize anyone who was, and so cause them to give up. This can be a real problem. I don’t want to make people think they are right with God when they are not, but I certainly don’t want to turn people away who are genuinely seeking Him. This may be what Jesus was talking about right after His resurrection, when He said, “If you forgive anyone his sins, they are forgiven; if you do not forgive them, they are not forgiven.” (John 20:23) That has always been a somewhat controversial passage, and actually a rather scary one. I want to err, if I am going to err, on the side of forgiveness, because I have at least some grasp of how much I need to be forgiven.

Father, help me see people with Your eyes, hear them with Your ears, and love them with Your love. May I not be deceived by words, my own or anyone else’s, but let Your Spirit guide me and them into Your truth, destroying the works of the devil and bringing Your kingdom, for Your glory. Thank You. Hallelujah!

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March 18, 2016

Posted on March 19, 2016 by jgarrott

Exodus 9:34 When Pharaoh saw that the rain and hail and thunder had stopped, he sinned again: He and his officials hardened their hearts.

How very human of them! We are all very prone to cry out to God in a crisis, but then forget about it all the moment the situation improves. I am reminded of how churches were full in America right after the World Trade Center attack, but then how quickly people again ignored God just weeks later. Right now America is at a turning point because of the presidential election, but people’s responses are all over the place. Many who claim Christ if asked are totally failing to seek God for direction and are placing their hopes in very flawed people. Franklin Graham, unsurprisingly, has stated the Biblical course, not trusting any political party but devoting himself to calling people to prayer. People whose hearts are broken over the spiritual condition of the nation are indeed waking up, but it remains to be seen what their numbers are, and as this verse indicates, whether they will stay awake once the election is over, particularly if the outcome seems good to them. America has indeed been “a shining city on a hill” for over 200 years, sending out more missionaries and doing more for general world welfare than any other nation, but it is in drastic need of repentance and revival. Words are important, but just words don’t cut it. As in Jesus’ brief parable, it wasn’t the son who said what his father wanted to hear who actually did his father’s will, but the one who repented of his rebellion. (Matthew 21:28-32) God desires that His children wake up indeed and stay awake, actively participating in society as His representatives, so that His Name may be recognized as holy (rather than used as profanity, as it is today) and His kingdom come.

I am certainly stirred up by what is going on in America today, but since I live in Japan, my participation is limited. I am to be praying for America, certainly, but I must not overlook what I am to be doing here in Japan. Frankly, the percentage of Christians is so low in Japan that part of me welcomes the distraction of what is going on in the US, to keep me from depressed with the situation here. I am to stay awake and alert in all areas (metaphorically of course; I do need sleep). I am to keep pressing in for more of God whether my circumstances seem easy or hard. I am to make Him my first priority on every level, so that His plans for me may be fulfilled, for His glory.

Father, thank You for this reminder. Keep me from saying good words and then failing to follow through. May I keep Jesus in focus at all times (Hebrews 12:2) so that everything else will stay in perspective, and I will walk in Your peace and joy, for Your glory. Thank You. Praise God!

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March 17, 2016

Posted on March 19, 2016 by jgarrott

Exodus 8:23 “‘I will make a distinction between my people and your people. This miraculous sign will occur tomorrow.'”

There were various reasons for the plagues of Egypt, but this was a very important one. It is to God’s glory that the world see a distinction between those who are committed to Him and those who are not. That’s not at all to say that those who are committed to Him will have no problems; quite the contrary. (John 16:33) However, there is a difference in how we experience those problems and their effect on us. Someone whose heart is fixed on Jesus is going to grow sweeter and stronger and spiritually larger through problems, while someone who is depending on other things is going to grow bitter and shriveled. God allows problems in our lives not to pick on us but to teach us to choose Him over everything else. The results may not be as externally obvious as the absence of flies when everywhere else is swarmed with them, as in today’s passage, but they will certainly be evident to anyone who is paying attention. An interesting factor is that those differences may be more obvious to an external observer than they are the person himself. We tend to focus on how far we still need to go, but others can easily see how far we’ve come, and that gives God glory.

This is certainly pointed for me this morning, because I have been dealing with emotional exhaustion bordering on depression. Lots of things have been happening, and continue to happen, that are completely out of my control, yet I would like to control them, and the emotional conflict wears me out. This is training in releasing things to God, just as I have been telling people to do for as long as I’ve been in ministry. Preachers need to listen to their own sermons! I cannot change these things myself, but I can actively yield them to God, lifting them up in prayer but not hanging onto them. Frankly, that’s much easier said than done. I could easily go through quite a litany of things that are weighing on me, but there’s not a one of them, or all of them put together, that God can’t carry if I will allow Him to. More than one person has asked me, “But how are you doing?” I wonder if such questions don’t cause me to focus on myself more, instead of on God who is the solution to everything. I need to remember that God’s grace is all I need, (2 Corinthians 12:9) and I can deal with any situation successfully through Him. (Philippians 4:13)

Father, thank You for this timely reminder. My life is a witness for Christ, just as Jesus said. (Acts 1:8) May I fulfill that commission indeed, not being anxious about the form it takes, but leaving that in Your hands. May I be and do what You desire and intend, today and each day, for Your glory. Thank You. Praise God!

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March 16, 2016

Posted on March 18, 2016 by jgarrott

Exodus 8:8 Pharaoh summoned Moses and Aaron and said, “Pray to the Lord to take the frogs away from me and my people, and I will let your people go to offer sacrifices to the Lord.”

Two things are very interesting to me about this. The first is how Pharaoh was using the language Moses and Aaron had used with him in speaking of the Lord. As far as he was concerned, this was just another god, of which Egypt already had plenty. The second is how he commanded them to pray, rather than asking them. (This nuance is much clearer in the Japanese than in English.) Genuine prayer is not something you really can command. Pharaoh’s attitude betrayed just about the same level of understanding of prayer as the average person today! Someone without a relationship with their Creator is going to look on prayer from a superstitious viewpoint, much like a good luck charm. Accordingly, they expect no more from prayer than they would from a good luck charm. Modern science has dispelled a lot of superstition, but the impulse is still there in those who don’t know God personally. It’s pretty scary to feel there are spiritual rules out there but not really have any idea what they are. That’s why God has given us the Bible, but if we look at it only as a rule book, we miss a great deal. It is indeed a rule book, but its whole point is to draw us into relationship with the Author, to let Him write His rules in our hearts. (Jeremiah 31:33) When that happens, prayer is a joyful privilege, and not a duty to be commanded.

As I am often reminded, I was raised in a home where prayer was as natural as breathing, so I have had to learn what most people think and feel about prayer simply by observation. It has been hard to get it through my head that prayer doesn’t feel natural to a lot of people! I have a paper on the wall beside the computer where I do most of my sermon preparation, with an outline titled Preaching to Change Lives. (I got it from Mark Conner of Australia.) Toward the last of the outline it says, “’Teach them to do all I have commanded you,’ e.g. how to pray.” I’m not a very good teacher of prayer, because to me it doesn’t feel like something to be taught. I know I am continuing to learn about prayer, but at the same time I don’t know how to teach it! I need to seek the Lord as to how to pass on to others what He has poured into me, so that they too may discover the joy of natural prayer that wells up from the heart, in any and every situation.

Father, thank You for enabling me to express my dilemma. I have no real answer to it myself, so I ask You to guide me. I know that You want all Your children to talk with You freely, listening as well as talking, so I ask You to use me to guide them into doing so. I have certainly proved that I can’t do it on my own! May Your children across the world indeed rise up, to be and do all that You intend so that Your Name may be acknowledged as holy and Your kingdom come, for Your glory. Thank You. Hallelujah!

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March 15, 2016

Posted on March 18, 2016 by jgarrott

Genesis 32:28 Then the man said, “Your name will no longer be Jacob, but Israel, because you have struggled with God and with men and have overcome.”

This is a very famous story, but a very strange one to me. There is no way that a human being could actually fight with God and win, or even battle to a draw, but that is the way this is presented. I have to feel that God allowed Jacob to have this experience to teach him to persist for the blessing, to be willing to put his all into it. Jacob himself thought he was wrestling God, but the physical manifestation was in all probability an angel. Even so, there is no way a man could out-fight an angel. The name given to Jacob here is very fitting, because down through the ages since then his descendants have indeed struggled with God, not receiving His instructions with child-like simplicity but codifying and complicating and ultimately rejecting them. We do struggle with who God is, with what He is like, because we are indeed created in His image, (Genesis 1:27) but at the same time we are so very different from Him. As He pointed out to Isaiah, even His thoughts are far higher than ours. (Isaiah 55:9) However, in our struggles we learn more of ourselves, and yes, we learn more of God. As I quote with some frequency, my father had a saying that he used often: “Give all you know of yourself to all you know of Christ.” It is in our struggles that we learn more of both, and so our commitment to and fellowship with God deepens, for our great blessing and His glory.

I have had my times of running from God, or of taking Him for granted, or of misunderstanding Him, or even of actively rebelling against Him. I think all of those fit into this category of struggling with God. In the process I have learned that He is incredibly patient but not infinitely so, that He is totally faithful, and that He has a sense of humor. That last one is hard to explain, but I am convinced of it. After all, how could Someone without a sense of humor have created something as quirky as I am? I have learned that God wants close fellowship with me far more than I can grasp, much less desire with that intensity myself. I have learned that He can, wants to, and will use me as His agent to do His will in ways that I couldn’t imagine, if I will yield myself to Him in obedient trust. And I have learned the incredible joy of experiencing that when it happens. I am far from perfectly consistent in maintaining that depth of fellowship with my Lord, but I know that in Christ it is possible, and that has become my goal.

Father, thank You for everything. Thank You for the things that have felt good at the time and the things that were painful at the time. Thank You for carrying me through them all, because I didn’t have the strength to get through on my own. Thank You for the incredible privilege of speaking Your words, of extending Your hand, of loving with Your love. May I do that more and more, for the blessing of many and for Your glory. Thank You. Praise God!

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March 14, 2016

Posted on March 15, 2016 by jgarrott

Genesis 32:9-10 Then Jacob prayed, “O God of my father Abraham, God of my father Isaac, O Lord, who said to me, ‘Go back to your country and your relatives, and I will make you prosper,’ I am unworthy of all the kindness and faithfulness you have shown your servant. I had only my staff when I crossed this Jordan, but now I have become two groups.”

In spite of his track record of being devious, it seems Jacob had really learned some things. Here he starts his prayer by acknowledging the grace of God, which by definition means that he was unworthy to receive it. We get much further with God when we realize how dependent on Him we really are! The success story of Jacob really is pretty remarkable, going from one walking stick to enough livestock to be able to send considerable quantities as gifts. I think this prayer itself gave Jacob the courage to send so much to Esau, because it reminded him that if God could take him from one stick to that much wealth, He could easily multiply however much Jacob had left. I think he had been fully liberated from a poverty mentality. Many people are trapped by such a mentality, unable to believe that God can multiply what they have and change their circumstances. It’s not that God wants everyone to be wealthy, as the world counts wealth, but that God has an abundant supply for His children. Seeking wealth for its own sake is certainly a trap, as the Bible says in many places. However, a poverty mentality is simply a different face on that same trap. Many poor people love money as much or more than most wealthy people! The whole point is to get our focus off of the material and onto the God who created us for His pleasure and our benefit, knowing that He will provide all we need. (Philippians 4:19)

Having just filed my US income taxes, I was actually surprised at how small the numbers were, because I feel abundantly blessed. As I have told many people over the years, the Lord has taught us that we don’t need money, we need what we would buy with the money, and He has supplied that in abundance. Some people assume that we have pretty good income from the way we live, but a lot of what we have has come to us with no cash involved. The point for me is not what we have so much as it is what God wants me to to do with what is in our hands. If I am doing His will, then I need have no anxiety about His supply. It’s not in the Bible as such, but the thought on the refrigerator magnet is certainly Biblical: “Where God guides, He provides.” As a pastor I frequently deal with people who are trapped in a poverty mentality, some of whom have more income than I do! I am not to look down on them, but rather speak the truth to them in love, seeking to turn their hearts to the Source, rather than to the material things that consume their attention. I need to teach them that stewardship begins with however much, or little, we have. It is only when we show ourselves faithful with a little that God releases much.

Father, I hesitate to preach on this sort of thing because of all the abuses of the “prosperity gospel.” I ask for wisdom and clear guidance so that I won’t encourage deception, but will also not fail to speak all of Your truth. May I be a good steward of Your truth, as well as of Your other blessings, so that Your purposes for every bit of it may be fulfilled, on Your schedule and for Your glory. Thank You. Praise God!

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March 13, 2016

Posted on March 15, 2016 by jgarrott

Genesis 25:21 Isaac prayed to the Lord on behalf of his wife, because she was barren. The Lord answered his prayer, and his wife Rebekah became pregnant.

This verse would be easy to pass over, but it expresses a very important principle: if you pray for something, you had better be willing to be part of the answer to that prayer. It would have done Isaac no good to pray for his wife if he hadn’t been willing to sleep with her. The other side of that is that he had doubtless been sleeping with her, but she had been unable to get pregnant until he prayed. That’s one of the mysteries of prayer: the same activity can have very different results depending on whether we pray. There are people who work hard for the Lord, as they see it, but fail to pray, and there are people who pray and then expect the Lord to drop things in their lap without further effort. Both are mistaken. We can do nothing of any consequence without God, but He generally expects our full participation in what He does. That can be a difficult balance at times. The Japanese word for “confidence” is written with characters that mean “self belief.” In a way that is very appropriate, because you aren’t likely to venture out to try things if you don’t believe you have a chance at success. However, that clearly leaves God out of the equation. It is far better to say, “My God can do anything, and He can even use me to do it!” That’s why in Japanese I prefer to use a word that is translated “assurance,” and is written with characters that mean “definite/certain belief.” We need to believe in ourselves only to the extent that we believe God can use us. Ultimately, what we accomplish is not because of how wonderful or capable we are, but because of God’s grace toward us. We need to believe and trust that grace enough to apply ourselves fully as God’s instruments.

I don’t think my parents ever told me, “You can’t do that,” as in, “You don’t have the ability.” They did tell me, “You should not do that,” or, “You must not do that,” or even, “That would be illegal!” As a result, I attempted, and found I could do, a very wide variety of things, to the amazement of many of my Japanese friends. However, since a lot of things came fairly easily to me, my work ethic and follow-through weren’t the best and I have wasted a lot of time in my life. From my current perspective I can see that the best course is first to pray about what God wants me to attempt, then pray about how He wants me to go about it, and then pray for persistence and energy so that I will carry it through to the end. Whether it is possible or not should never be an issue; nothing is impossible with God. (Luke 1:37) However, I am rarely if ever to be passive, but give myself fully as God’s instrument to accomplish His will.

Father, thank You for this reminder. That second book certainly comes to mind! I’ve had a lot of distractions, certainly, but excuses don’t get the job done. I ask for wisdom and discipline so that I will do the necessary “grunt work,” taking the time to listen, write, and then polish the output, so that what You want to say through me may be expressed as You desire, to reach everyone You intend, to accomplish in and through them Your will, for Your glory. Thank You. Hallelujah!

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March 12, 2016

Posted on March 14, 2016 by jgarrott

Genesis 24:45 “Before I finished praying in my heart, Rebekah came out, with her jar on her shoulder. She went down to the spring and drew water, and I said to her, ‘Please give me a drink.'”

This immediately brings to mind what God said to Isaiah: “Before they call I will answer; while they are still speaking I will hear.” (Isaiah 65:24) And that, of course, was echoed by what Jesus said: “Your Father knows what you need before you ask him.” (Matthew 6:8) This is part of the mystery of prayer: we can never say anything to God that He doesn’t already know. However, our wills are important. The strength of our will is obviously a factor, because too many people say they love God but let other things take priority over Him. However, if our hearts are focused on Him, He is going to supply everything we need to follow through in our obedience. I think the reason we are told to ask, seek, and knock (Matthew 7:7) is that in doing so we are clarifying in our own hearts what it is that we need and desire. At the same time, God knows far better than we do what is good for us, and He is too good a Father either to give us bad stuff or to spoil us, depriving us of the growth that comes from applying ourselves. Because it is a matter of our wills He does let us choose wrongly, but that’s not the same thing as answering prayer with something bad. All of this should give us great boldness in prayer, because we know that God not only hears everything, He is eager to give us what is best for us. (Luke 12:32)

The more I pray and the more I learn about prayer, the greater the whole mystery becomes. I think it all comes down to the mystery of God’s love. Why would He love us so much? Our finite human minds can’t wrap themselves around the magnitude of God’s love, and so we can’t make sense of prayer. I think that’s why He had to build the impulse to pray into us when He created us, because otherwise we would logically conclude it was no use. I am to pray, and I am to lead and teach others to pray, not because I understand it perfectly by any means, but because I have tasted God’s love and grace and know that He wants us to pray. It is in prayer that we develop intimacy with our Creator, Father God, and that intimacy is the purpose for which He created us.

Father, thank You for prayer. Thank You for the chance to get to know You as more than an abstract concept or words on a page. Thank You for speaking to my heart, as I read the Bible and in so many other ways as well. It is still incredible that You desire such a relationship with me, but I am deeply, deeply grateful. Help me be increasingly effective in drawing others into Your family, Your inner circle, not just for their blessing but because You desire them to be close to You as well. May I not just delight in You, but cause You to delight in me, for Your glory. Thank You. Praise God!

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March 11, 2016

Posted on March 14, 2016 by jgarrott

Genesis 24:12 Then he prayed, “O Lord, God of my master Abraham, give me success today, and show kindness to my master Abraham.”

We know very little about this servant (probably slave) of Abraham. He was quite possibly Eliezer of Damascus, mentioned in Genesis 15:2 as a potential heir for Abraham before either Ishmael or Isaac was born, but that is far from certain. What we do know is that he had seen enough of Abraham’s relationship with God to acquire faith himself, as is clear from the story in this chapter. His theological foundation was certainly no better than Abraham’s, which is to say he quite possibly thought other gods were just as valid as Yahweh, but at the very least he had seen enough to know that the God to whom Abraham prayed was real, and He answered prayer in miraculous ways. In this story he not only prays, he gives God thanks and praise, recognizing His answers to prayer. Theology is important, but it must never get in the way of simple trust and obedience. I think it is probable this man is in heaven right now, even though he knew only a small fraction of what the Bible tells us about God, because he acted on what he did know about God, in obedient sincerity.

As a pastor in Japan, where the average person in the street knows less about God than this man did, the issue of what to teach when, and what constitutes saving faith, is a very real and pressing one. As I read the New Testament I see people being baptized after only a few hours of instruction at most, including complete pagans such as the jailer in Phillipi. (Acts 16) At the same time, I have baptized a few people who fell away rather quickly, betraying their lack of understanding and repentance. I find I understand and empathize with those churches that require preparation classes before baptism, but I can’t bring myself to require them because I don’t see them in the Bible. I need to apply myself fully to teaching and training new believers, because I have certainly slipped up there, too. I think it all comes down to trusting the Holy Spirit to do His work, but keeping myself available as His instrument.

Father, I cannot make judgments as to who is saved and who is not most of the time. Some people’s lifestyles make it clear they are spitting in the face of God, but most of the time it is not so obvious. As far as externals are concerned, there are many whom the world would consider Christians who are trusting in the system rather than in You, and You make it clear that doesn’t cut it. (Matthew 7:21-23) Help me see people with Your eyes and speak the truth to them in love, even when that means being as blunt as Jesus was to the Pharisees in Matthew 23. May I be Your agent indeed so that as many as possible may come to saving faith, for Your glory. Thank You. Hallelujah!

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