February 16, 2016

Posted on February 18, 2016 by jgarrott

Hebrews 13:7-8 Remember your leaders, who spoke the word of God to you. Consider the outcome of their way of life and imitate their faith. Jesus Christ is the same yesterday and today and for ever.

This passage should be an enormous challenge to every church leader. The impression here is that this is speaking of people who have already died, so this is talking about what is referred to as “legacy.” Politicians it seems are particularly obsessed with legacy, wanting to do something, leave something behind for which they will be remembered. They sometimes succeed in ways they hadn’t imagined or certainly desired! The same applies to church leaders. I can think of several who did some really good things, but what they will be remembered for is very bad indeed. The point is to finish well, to stay true Christ and His calling all the way to the end. We can do that, not because we are capable in ourselves but because, as it says here, Jesus Christ doesn’t change. The ultimate legacy for any person of God is to inspire faith and discipleship in others. Anyone who lives so that simply remembering them draws people closer to God has left an excellent legacy indeed.

I am greatly blessed to have been raised by parents who left a magnificent legacy of this sort. I still run into people who were impacted directly by them, and my father died 42 years ago and my mother 34 years ago. Only God knows how many people have been impacted in turn by those whom my parents influenced. I have also been touched by countless other men and women of God, and I could go on for quite some time naming just those who come easily to mind. All of that comes close to home when I consider that I have already outlived my father by several years and am fast approaching the age at which my mother died. Longevity itself isn’t the issue, it’s whether I have left the impact that God has desired, in His kingdom and in this world. By definition I cannot know how the ripples will go, from person to person, so my focus needs to be on my own purity, faithfulness, and obedience. I desire to live a transparent life, unafraid of scrutiny because people see Jesus through me. That is a goal I can’t accomplish on my own, naturally, but thankfully I have many Biblical assurances that God wants to, and will, do it in and through me. I am to greet each day as more opportunity to draw closer to my Lord, and in so doing, draw others with me.

Father, Thank You for all You do to accomplish Your good purposes for me. Sometimes the “purifying fire” can get pretty hot and uncomfortable, but the end result is always good. (Hebrews 12:11) Help me indeed rest, relax, and rejoice in it all, as You have told me to do, so that I won’t get in Your way but be fully available for all that You are doing, for the blessing of many and for Your glory. Thank You. Hallelujah!

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February 15, 2016

Posted on February 15, 2016 by jgarrott

For once I prefer the expression in the NIV to that in the Japanese! The idea of an outstanding debt really hits the nail on the head, but too often we don’t feel we “owe it” to people to love them. The Japanese expression for “cute” is written with characters that mean literally, “able to love.” That says something very sad about human nature, and how conditional our love tends to be. We set up parameters, consciously or unconsciously, of how someone has to be for us to love them, and when they deviate, we don’t feel love for them. The problem is, genuine love is not conditional. It is no accident that God chose Greek to be the language of the New Testament, because it makes the distinctions in kinds of love that are necessary to really understand it all. Agape love is genuinely unconditional, and we experience it so seldom that we have trouble understanding it. It is in itself essentially non-emotional, though it can certainly trigger strong emotions. It is a clear decision, and has all the power of the will. It is completely unselfish. This is the love that Paul is talking about here. If everyone operated in this kind of love it would indeed be paradise, because everyone would genuinely desire the very best for everyone else, without denigrating their own worth. We hardly know how to do that! The reason we owe it to others to love them this way is that we are loved that way by God Himself. That is where the debt comes in: just loving God in return isn’t enough. As Jesus stated explicitly, such love is what God desires of us. (Matthew 22:37-40)

I was raised in a home that did a pretty good job of illustrating Biblical love, but that doesn’t mean I avoided selfishness. However, I did know that love was a decision, and when I chose to love my wife, it stuck. I have found over the years that genuine love is as much a response to the other person’s need as it is to our own. We tend to get that backwards, but selfish love isn’t agape, but eros. In the mutuality of the marital relationship those certainly commingle, but when we leave agape out of the mix we are left eventually with nothing at all. Over the past few months my wife’s health issues have actually strengthened my love for her, because I can choose to meet her needs as the Lord enables me. Conversely, it is painful when I am unable to meet her needs. I wish I could restore the neural pathways in her brain that have been stretched or cut, but that is going to take time. I wish I could impart the patience she needs to deal with it, but that is between her and God. What I can do is be with her as much as possible, gently supporting and encouraging her, and certainly praying for her. I need to have faith for her when her faith is weak. God has brought us to this place and He will bring us through it, and I need to help her trust that.

Father, thank You that yesterday was much better than the day before for Cathy. I pray that today would be better still. I pray particularly that the internal healing would proceed apace and that she would recognize it and be encouraged, trusting You, Your plans, and Your schedule for her, for Your glory. Thank You. Praise God!

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February 14, 2016

Posted on February 15, 2016 by jgarrott

Romans 8:28 And we know that in all things God works for the good of those who love him, who have been called according to his purpose.

This is such an incredibly familiar verse that I can’t think when I might have written on it, because I tend to take it for granted. Right now, however, it seems intensely real and personal because of what I am going through. This is why the Bible tells us to “store up” God’s Word in our hearts. (Psalm 119:11, as the Japanese expresses it) We really don’t know when we are going to need a particular Word from the Lord. It is wonderful and moving to be touched by a particular verse or passage during regular devotions, but that’s only half the story. The more familiar we become with the Bible, the easier it is for the Holy Spirit to apply just the right words to whatever we happen to be experiencing at the moment. Any time we read the Bible we need to be seeking to hear what God is saying to us at that moment, but we aren’t to just skim over whatever doesn’t seem to ring a bell. That “silent” part might be exactly what we need next week! Also, as the Word of God, the Bible has depth beyond any mere work of literature, and He can speak something new to us even on the hundredth reading.

My need for this verse was intensified when my wife “blanked out” for a while yesterday morning, and then had a seizure that made the nurse tell me to push the emergency button on the wall to summon a full crew. She came through that, but it gave very personal understanding to the reality that her brain is having to adjust to the empty area that was left when the tumor was removed. That adjustment process can be very scary for all involved! I already knew on several levels that God was faithful whatever He might take us through, but feeling like I might be seeing my wife die in front of me made it all very personal indeed. The recovery process has further to go, and I don’t know what all will be involved, but I do know that not only am I powerless in it all, but that my powerlessness is a good thing, because it is teaching me to trust God at levels I had never touched before. God is indeed causing everything to work for good, and He will continue to do so.

Father, thank You for this lesson, as rough as it was. I was certainly shaken! Thank You that my foundation can’t shake, because it is Christ Jesus my Lord. Help me walk in full obedience and assurance today, particularly as I preach and minister in the service, that I may not hinder the flow of Your grace through me by my own self-absorbtion. Thank You. Praise God!

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February 13, 2016

Posted on February 13, 2016 by jgarrott

Romans 8:5-6 Those who live according to the sinful nature have their minds set on what that nature desires; but those who live in accordance with the Spirit have their minds set on what the Spirit desires. The mind of sinful man is death, but the mind controlled by the Spirit is life and peace

I understand the truth that we aren’t to hate our bodies, but at the same time I feel the NIV does its readers a disservice by replacing “flesh” with phrases like “sinful nature.” We do inhabit fleshly bodies for as long as we are on this earth, but when those bodies are our focus, we are in real trouble. Actually, American society today is an all-too-graphic picture of what happens when that is the case. When we are focused on the flesh, “If it feels good, do it,” makes all the sense in the world. When we are focused on the flesh, perceived self-interest becomes the highest good. Those ways are death, just as Paul says here. Buddhism recognizes that, but the only tool it has is simple self-denial, and that really doesn’t work, because as the saying goes, nature abhors a vacuum. We have to replace our focus on the flesh with focus on the Holy Spirit of God to have any real hope of success. We aren’t to abuse our bodies, either with flagellation or extreme asceticism on the one hand or obesity and overindulgence on the other. Rather, we are to be good stewards of our bodies so that they will serve us well for a long time as we serve the Lord. Given our human weakness, the only way to do that effectively is to focus on the Holy Spirit so that He may guide and direct us.

One of the truths that I have occasion to repeat most often is that selfishness/self-centeredness never leads to happiness. It is amazing to me how much trouble people have grasping and believing that, but I really shouldn’t be surprised, because this has been at the foundation of the devil’s lies ever since the Garden of Eden. We really can’t even see how self-centered we are without the help of the Holy Spirit, as I know full well from my own experience. I am not simply to turn away in disgust, as I am tempted to do at times, but remember God’s grace toward me and continue to speak the truth in love. (Ephesians 4:15) Frankly, I get tired of doing that! That should be an indication to me that I myself am not sufficiently focused on “God’s kingdom and His righteousness.” (Matthew 6:33) If I am really thinking God’s thoughts after Him, as this passage implies and other passages say more directly, then His love will flow through me unhindered. That’s not to say that even God’s patience is unlimited, though. That’s something that cultural Christians mistakenly count on, discovering their error too late. Speaking the truth in love includes speaking hard truth that may not be welcomed, but I must not be silent from a fear of rejection. I am not to offend needlessly, but I must give people the opportunity to be set free by God’s truth. (John 8:32)

Father, it’s interesting to have this at this point, when my wife’s brain surgery places a lot of focus on her physical body. Help us indeed have right relationships with our bodies as good stewards, just as You had me write, but still keep our focus on You by Your Spirit. I thank You for the remarkable things You are doing in Cathy’s body, and I ask You to bring her to full health. May we live as Your children in obedience to Your Spirit, so that we may indeed walk in the life and peace You promise in this passage, for Your glory. Thank You. Hallelujah!

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February 12, 2016

Posted on February 13, 2016 by jgarrott

Acts 18:9-10 One night the Lord spoke to Paul in a vision: “Do not be afraid; keep on speaking, do not be silent. For I am with you, and no-one is going to attack and harm you, because I have many people in this city.”

The fact that the Lord said this to Paul indicates that even Paul wasn’t immune to fear! I don’t think anyone should be ashamed of a flash of fear now and then. The problem comes when we let the fear take over, when we dwell on it and let it grow in our hearts and minds. The antidote, as Paul himself said, is not simply to choose faith, though that is essential, but “whatever is true, whatever is noble, whatever is right, whatever is pure, whatever is lovely, whatever is admirable—if anything is excellent or praiseworthy—think about such things.” (Philippians 4:8) You can’t counter fear with a negative: I must not be afraid. Rather, we conquer fear by filling our hearts and minds with the Word of God, first of all, and with positive things in general. The Lord here gave Paul a very big positive to think about: “I have many people in this city.” He was telling Paul there was support and fruitfulness already prepared for him. That had to be encouraging indeed!

Unlike Paul, I haven’t had much occasion to fear physical danger from opposition to my ministry. However, I have feared a lack of fruitfulness, and I have feared the devil’s tricks that have stolen away some who had already believed. Even that fear is not profitable to dwell on. I am not to “stick my head in the sand,” (though even ostriches don’t actually do that, but rather put their ear to the ground to hear approaching animals) but rather focus on God even as I am aware of the problems. As came out a few days ago, I am to be on my guard without being afraid. I have demonstrated that I don’t have the wisdom to get the job done on my own, so I am to rejoice in my total dependence on God. That’s actually the best position to be in, because the greatest human wisdom, the mightiest human strength, are as nothing compared to the wisdom and power of God. I am not to fear anything at all, even my own weaknesses, but rather rejoice in my Lord and keep myself totally available to Him.

Father, thank You for all the training You have given me in this area. Thank You for the cold I have had, to pound the point home that I’m not in control during this time of my wife’s brain surgery. (Thank you also that the cold is much better today!) Help me stay focused on You, with joy and expectation, so that all of Your plans that involve me may be fulfilled, on Your schedule and for Your glory. Thank You. Praise God!

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February 11, 2016

Posted on February 11, 2016 by jgarrott

John 14:27 “Peace I leave with you; my peace I give you. I do not give to you as the world gives. Do not let your hearts be troubled and do not be afraid.”

I couldn’t count the number of times I’ve preached from The Upper Room Discourse, much less the number of times I’ve written on it in my devotions. It always blesses me! This particular verse is read or quoted at a high percentage of funerals, but it has far broader application than that. All sorts of things work to “trouble” (the Japanese says, “make noisy and confused”) our hearts. Jesus tells us to have none of that. He points out that He is giving us His peace. Often we don’t recognize but a fraction of what He has provided, and so we fail to appropriate it. Jesus is saying here, “I’m giving you My peace, so don’t settle for anything less.” We apply the standards of the world to everything, and what He gives us just doesn’t fit. We need to open the eyes of our hearts to see the incredible riches He has poured out on us, not simply to recognize and appropriate those riches but to live lives of gratitude and praise appropriate to His grace.

I have certainly been going through a training period for appropriating the peace of Christ, with my wife’s brain surgery. I definitely slept better last night because she came through it very well, without damage to her cognitive or sensory functions. However, I need to apply the peace of Christ far more broadly than that. The political situation in the US has made my heart “noisy and confused” many times, and that is completely unnecessary. The worldwide mess of Islam has likewise troubled me. However, regardless of the issue, no matter how big or how personal, I need to remember that God is bigger, God is stronger, and He isn’t going to leave things as they are. It was over 20 years ago now that I was lying in bed, not actively praying but just thinking, “There are so many things I wish were different.” Suddenly I heard in my spirit, so clearly I might have thought it was a physical voice, “How do you think I feel?” I knew in that moment that the mess we live through isn’t because God wants things that way, but because He wants children who turn to Him of their own volition, who love Him because they want to and not because they have to. I also had deep assurance that, just as the Bible tells us, in the end, we win. I need to remember those two points all the time so that I won’t let go of the peace Christ provides, but rather let it flow through me to those around me who are so in need of it.

Father, thank You yet again for Your amazing grace. Thank You indeed for Cathy’s highly successful surgery. I do ask for rapid recovery from that, and for freedom from any unnecessary pain. Thank You also that my cold seems to have passed the peak. Keep me even now from giving it to anyone else, and from letting it keep me from doing anything You would have me do. Help me walk in faith, trust, and obedience at all times in all ways, so that people will recognize that You are holy and so that Your kingdom will come as Your will is done in and through me, for Your glory. Thank You. Hallelujah!

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February 10, 2016

Posted on February 11, 2016 by jgarrott

John 12:16 At first his disciples did not understand all this. Only after Jesus was glorified did they realize that these things had been written about him and that they had done these things to him.

Very often we don’t understand things as they are happening, but as the old Southern Gospel song says, “We will understand it better bye and bye.” The disciples were in the middle of fulfilling dramatic Messianic prophecy, and yet they didn’t realize it. The thing is, they didn’t have to understand it at that point, and if they had, they possibly would have tried to manipulate things to make them conform to their interpretation of the prophecy. I think that’s a big reason to be glad we don’t know what’s happening while it’s happening. However, it was doubtless a huge encouragement to them after Jesus’ resurrection for things to fall into place in their understanding. Right now it seems highly probably that we are somewhere within the events depicted in John’s Revelation, but I think it is God’s grace that we don’t know exactly where. The point is to walk in the assurance that nothing surprises God, however shocked we might be, and that in the end, those who are in Christ are more than conquerors. (Romans 8:37) Whether it is world events or our own personal lives or anything in between, we need to stand firm against our impulse to take control (which doesn’t work anyway) and pray sincerely, “Your kingdom come, Your will be done.” Even Jesus had to do that in the Garden of Gethsemane, so we need to follow His example.

This is spot on for me right now. My wife’s brain surgery is to start at 9:10 this morning. I found out from my daughters yesterday that she has been talking to them about a distorted memory she has of when my mother had a brain tumor removed (that turned out to be metastatic lung cancer). Before she died my mother indeed had considerable memory loss, including forgetting that she had grand children, but my wife remembers it as the result of the surgery, when actually it was later, when she was in hospice care with multiplying tumors. (We were in Japan and she was in the US at the time, so we only had reports from my siblings to go on.) At any rate, my wife has a real fear of that happening to her with this surgery, even though the brain surgeon assured us that was highly unlikely. The idea of part of your brain being cut out really is scary! I have no anticipation of major complications, but the point is, even if they happen, God is still God, and His plans are loving and good. I need to rest in that assurance, and strive to help her do likewise.

Father, I have every reason to believe that, as the brain surgeon said to us early on, this surgery will be less traumatic to her system than the back surgery she had in the late fall, but that doesn’t change the psychological impact of having your head cut open. I ask You to pour Your Spirit, the Comforter, onto and into her, so that she will be able to release herself, her family, and everything else into Your hands and experience Your peace and joy, for Your glory. Thank You. Hallelujah!

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February 9, 2016

Posted on February 10, 2016 by jgarrott

John 3:20 “Everyone who does evil hates the light, and will not come into the light for fear that his deeds will be exposed.”

Guilt is an interesting thing. There is a huge difference between being guilty and feeling guilty. I think the primary factor in that difference is responsibility/accountability. We don’t like to feel guilty so we deny responsibility and refuse to be accountable to God. That is what Jesus is talking about here. The opposite attitude is expressed in John’s first letter: “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) Our feelings don’t determine our guilt or innocence; that is objective fact. However, as I have heard quoted quite a bit over the past year, facts are stubborn things. Whether we did something or not doesn’t change, regardless of how much we might deny it, and also regardless of why we might have done it or not done it. God indeed sees our hearts, and something that is innocuous for one person might be sin for another. That can make it all rather complicated, but Paul had the right attitude. “I care very little if I am judged by you or by any human court; indeed, I do not even judge myself. My conscience is clear, but that does not make me innocent. It is the Lord who judges me.” (1 Corinthians 4:3-4) However, that takes a high degree of trust in God. Failure to come to God in repentance is a clear sign that we don’t trust Him to forgive us: we have swallowed the devil’s lie that God is vindictive. When we understand the magnitude of what Jesus did on the cross, rather than trying to hide from God, like the people Jesus was talking about here, we will run to Him to allow Him to clean us up and make us all that He created us to be.

This is something I have experienced repeatedly. I remember a particular “besetting sin” that I couldn’t seem to shake, but then the Lord got through to me through Peter: “For if you possess these qualities in increasing measure, they will keep you from being ineffective and unproductive in your knowledge of our Lord Jesus Christ. But if anyone does not have them, he is short-sighted and blind, and has forgotten that he has been cleansed from his past sins.” (2 Peter 1:8-9) It was only when I grasped that I really was forgiven that I was able to let go of the sin and not repeat it. I learned that the only real cure for guilt is faith in the cross of Christ. As a pastor I try to get this truth across to people, but as usual, I do so with varying success. Shame is a huge factor in Japanese society, and people allow embarrassment at things that aren’t even sin to keep them from fellowship with the Body of Christ. I obviously have no wisdom or ability to overcome that on my own, so that’s all the more reason to be fully submitted to God, leaving control in His hands and not trying to “grab the wheel,” so to speak. If I will submit to Him, He will even use me to bless others and draw them to His full salvation.

Father, thank You for this reminder. Thank You for this time of training in keeping my hands off the wheel. May I indeed rest, relax, and rejoice in You, submitting fully to You so that I may stand firmly against all the junk the devil tries to throw at me, and do Your will on Your schedule for Your glory. Thank You. Praise God!

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February 8, 2016

Posted on February 10, 2016 by jgarrott

Luke 12:25-26 “Who of you by worrying can add a single hour to his life? Since you cannot do this very little thing, why do you worry about the rest?”

The Japanese word for “worry” is literally, “distributing the heart.” In some contexts it is a very good thing, as in caring intensely for someone, and it is used that way in a very famous statement by Peter: “Cast all your anxiety on him because he cares for you.” (1 Peter 5:7) However, worrying about various things really wears us thin, as expressions in various languages acknowledge. Jesus’ point here applies to that. It is demonstrably true that the stress of anxiety actually shortens lives, rather than lengthen them. The expression, “I was worried half to death,” isn’t just quaint, it has some truth to it. Several years ago the Lord spoke three words to my heart, and I’ve been seeking to apply them ever since. Those words? Rest. Relax. Rejoice. He has made it clear to me that this isn’t a passive attitude; I am to be an active, faithful steward of my body and my time. However, anxiety isn’t part of the mix at all.

As a pastor I strive to impart this truth to others, but I’ve had decidedly mixed success. I’m not to be anxious about it (!) but continue to speak the truth in love. Right now I’m in a high-level practicum on this very point, since my wife enters the hospital today for brain surgery on the 10th. The list of possible complications is frankly daunting, but our being anxious about it isn’t going to change the outcome. The Lord has provided an excellent medical facility and team, but more than that, He has shown us over the years that He is to be trusted. We don’t know what we will go through on the way, and it is almost certainly better that we don’t, but we do know that He will take us through it all to His blessings on the other side. How we respond to this will be a powerful testimony to all who observe us, to show them what faith in God can do.

Father, thank You for this further opportunity to grow in faith and trust. I would personally rather I be the one having to go through the surgery, etc., but over the years it’s mostly been Cathy. I pray that You would pour Your peace into her particularly, but also into me and our daughters, and to the many who are concerned for her. May Your perfect will be done in every detail, so that we won’t miss a single blessing and so that You may receive all the glory. Thank You. Praise God!

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February 7, 2016

Posted on February 9, 2016 by jgarrott

Luke 12:6-7 “Are not five sparrows sold for two pennies? Yet not one of them is forgotten by God. Indeed, the very hairs of your head are all numbered. Don’t be afraid; you are worth more than many sparrows.”

This is a well-known passage, yet in practical terms we often forget it. It seems improbable to us that we, even, would be of much concern to God, but here Jesus is assuring us that even sparrows are not forgotten. To emphasize that, Jesus made the very famous statement about the hairs on our heads. One of my seminary professors, who wore a toupee, had a bumper sticker that quoted verse 7 and then added, “and of your wig, too!” I personally think a sense of humor is an important part of how we are created in the image of God, because it is a powerful tool for coping with the vagaries of life. That said, we all have a tendency not to trust God’s loving concern for us. We need Peter’s instructions to “Cast all your anxiety on him because he cares for you.” (1 Peter 5:7) Actually, David said it first: “Cast your cares on the Lord and he will sustain you; he will never let the righteous fall.” (Psalm 55:22) We tend to know that in the abstract, but fail to trust it when push comes to shove. What a loss! The Bible is loaded with instructions not to be anxious, but we struggle with that because we want to be in control, and as long as we are in control, things go badly. That’s an almost universal point of weakness, and the devil attacks us at that point with great frequency and sometimes great ferocity. The only sure defense is to choose to submit to God and abide in Christ, and from that position to resist the devil. (James 4:7)

As I have been writing, this is a time of fairly intense training on this very point. Friday we had a conference with the brain surgeon, and he very kindly and clearly explained everything – in English, no less! That was certainly a gesture of considerable kindness on his part. He did explain all the potential complications, naturally, but assured us that he had been the chief surgeon for five such surgeries in the past year and assistant surgeon for another six, and that he didn’t anticipate major problems. However, he was not cocky, but spoke from calm experience. That was a blessing! At this point one of my biggest concerns is the throat disturbance I’m feeling, because I know that a respiratory infection can be quite dangerous with general anesthesia, and I certainly don’t want Cathy to have that risk factor. I also want to be able to visit her in ICU after the surgery! That said, all I can do is trust God and exercise common sense. This passage is a good reminder of that. God doesn’t leave our faith as theoretical; He tests and grows it with all sorts of things. I am not to rebel or despair at this practicum, but rather rejoice that He loves and trusts us this much, and leave it all in His hands.

Father, thank You for this very timely reminder. Help me release each thing to You, moment by moment, so that I won’t mess things up for myself or for anyone else. I ask You to guide and enable me in every detail so that Your will may be accomplished in it all, on Your schedule for Your glory. Thank You. Praise God!

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