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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February 6, 2016

Posted on February 9, 2016 by jgarrott

Luke 5:10-11 Then Jesus said to Simon, “Don’t be afraid; from now on you will catch men.” So they pulled their boats up on shore, left everything and followed him.

I think it’s important to consider why Jesus dealt with fear here. Peter had just confessed his sinfulness in verse 8, but why did he do that? I think it was not only the amazing catch of fish they had just had, demonstrating that Jesus had supernatural power, it was also Jesus’ general attitude: He carried the presence of God with him. In the presence of divine power, Peter was convicted of his own sin. I have read of people being convicted of sin simply by being in the presence of such people as Smith Wigglesworth. If it happens with such people, certainly it could happen with the Son of God! When we are aware of our own sinfulness, fear is an entirely appropriate response. Without such an awareness we can have no real appreciation for the grace of God, because we have no grasp of how desperately we need it. However, when we are honest and humble before Him, that makes us available to be cleansed and used by Him in and for His kingdom. Peter, as well as James and John, indeed became a mighty “fisher of men,” drawing multiplied thousands into the kingdom by direct ministry, and by extension and by writing, incalculable multitudes. God doesn’t demand academic credentials, a pedigree, or remarkable abilities. Those aren’t bad in themselves, but sometimes they actually can get in the way of being fully available to God, because we tend to be proud of them and/or depend on them, rather than on God Himself. It is very significant that these three men, who became the inner circle of the 12 apostles, left everything to follow Jesus. That actually is a natural consequence of the conviction of sin that they had experienced, but so often we fall short, preferring the material things we have to intimacy with God. Nate Saint said it very well: “He is no fool who gives what he cannot keep, to gain what he cannot lose.” We need to follow Peter, James, John, and Nate’s example and release everything to God in order to fulfill His plans for us.

This is of course convicting to me, as it should be to every human being. Am I genuinely aware of my own sinfulness? Do I really hold everything loosely, so that God may do with it as He pleases? Do I fully appreciate the grace of God? These are questions I need to let the Holy Spirit ask me whenever and however He chooses. I have demonstrated a considerable ability to deceive myself, so I know better than to trust my own judgment and opinion of myself. I know I am a child of God by His grace, so I need to keep growing in grace, allowing Him to transform me into the likeness of Christ Jesus my Lord, for His glory. (2 Corinthians 3:18)

Father, thank You for this reminder. Thank You for Your grace! I do desire to be fully submitted to You, as a child pleasing his Father. Help me recognize the many traps and schemes of the devil to avoid and stand against them, so that I may be fully useful to You, drawing many into Your kingdom as they are liberated by Your truth through me, for their salvation and Your glory. Thank You. Hallelujah!

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February 5, 2016

Posted on February 7, 2016 by jgarrott

Mark 4:40 He said to his disciples, “Why are you so afraid? Do you still have no faith?”

By this point in His ministry Jesus had a reasonable expectation of faith from His disciples, but faith hadn’t kicked in to the degree He was hoping. The disciples had already seen various miracles and they had lived with Jesus and watched His lifestyle, but they hadn’t really connected the dots, so to speak. Jesus Himself had to adjust His expectations, exercising patience. That should keep us from being too hard on ourselves, but we still need to ask ourselves the questions Jesus asks here: “Why are we so frightened? Why is our faith weak?” Faith is a gift from God, (Ephesians 2:8-9) but we have to choose to receive it. We have to take in God’s Word and let it operate fully in us. (Romans 10:17) When we panic, we shut out everything but our senses and our emotions, and logic simply does not operate in our minds and hearts. When we know our Creator, and Jesus Christ as our Savior and Lord, logic dictates that “No, in all these things we are more than conquerors through him who loved us. For I am convinced that neither death nor life, neither angels nor demons, neither the present nor the future, nor any powers, neither height nor depth, nor anything else in all creation, will be able to separate us from the love of God that is in Christ Jesus our Lord.” (Romans 8:37-39) When we have that assurance in the core of our being, why would we be afraid of anything?

This is very applicable to me right now, as my wife will be having an MRI this morning preparatory to brain surgery scheduled for next Wednesday. For the most part I do have “peace that passes human understanding,” (Philippians 4:7) to the amazement of many of our friends, but that doesn’t mean the devil has given up on me! I’ve got to maintain the choice to trust God. I would be delighted if the MRI this morning shows a drastic reduction in the tumor, negating the need for surgery, but my peace and even joy are not to be dependent on that. God is faithful even in the middle of the storm. He has blessed us with an excellent medical facility five minutes from our home, with a highly skilled surgeon who is acknowledged by his peers. I don’t know what the future holds, but as the song says, “I know who holds the future, and I know who holds my hand.” I am to be the support my wife and daughters need in this time, not in my own strength, which is entirely negligible, but in God’s strength and grace, which are more than up to the task.

Father, thank You for all You have done already in this situation. Thank You that our younger daughter arrived safely yesterday, and that she’ll be able to pick up her sister at the airport this morning while her mother and I are at the hospital. Thank You for the fairly relaxed day yesterday, and for the good fellowship we had. Thank You that we can have assurance of Your presence and love, not only throughout today but throughout our lives. Help each of us receive and appropriate that assurance, to be and do what You have planned for us, for Your glory. Thank You. Praise God!

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February 4, 2016

Posted on February 6, 2016 by jgarrott

Matthew 28:8 So the women hurried away from the tomb, afraid yet filled with joy, and ran to tell his disciples.

We can only imagine the ferocious storm of emotions those women were experiencing. The events of Jesus’ trial and crucifixion had doubtless rubbed them totally raw, and then, when they had come to the tomb after the Sabbath to anoint Jesus’ body, doubtless filled with inexpressible sorrow, they encountered an angel who, true to form, scared the living daylights out of them. The guards, who had real reason to be afraid, passed out from the intensity of their fear. The women heard what the angel told them, but it was so incredible that I’m sure it hadn’t really sunk in, when they encountered the risen Christ. Their endocrine system got a total workout! The thing is, emotions are part of how God created us, and they are a blessing. Life would hardly be worth living without them, because it would have no flavor, so to speak. (Over-medication for bipolar disorder can have that effect, and it is really pathetic to see.) However, in this fallen world we are all too prone to be whipped around and controlled by our emotions, and that is an aberration. Some people become emotion junkies of one stripe or another. Those who do dangerous sports are often hooked on the adrenaline rush they get, much like those who like horror movies, or even those who love “tearjerker” movies and videos. The thing is, all of those are placing the emotion itself as the goal, and that is at best a distortion. Josephus reports that Jesus was known as an emotional person, and that his emotions could change very suddenly, but the Bible makes it clear He didn’t let those emotions control Him. Rather, He was totally fixed on obedience to His Father and love for His children. That is the example we are to emulate, not being afraid of emotions but keeping them subject to God, as tools and not masters. We are to master them, and not let them master us!

I am naturally as emotional as anyone, but I have a strong analytical streak that helps me be objective most of the time. It is interesting that it makes me angry to get angry, because I don’t like to be angry! Right now I am in a time of heightened emotional tension, with my daughters arriving from the US today, and then a whirlwind of activities before my wife enters the hospital Monday for brain surgery on Wednesday. I am not to reject the blessings God has for me in this time out of fear or anxiety. As Paul said, if I will release and commit everything to God, His peace will guard my heart and my mind. (Philippians 4:6-7) Right now Cathy and I are both short on sleep because of all the adrenaline, so we should fit right in with our daughters’ jet lag! I am to keep the family anchored and focused on God and His good plans for us, not denying emotion but not being controlled by it either, so that we won’t miss any of the blessings God intends.

Father, thank You for Your good plans. Thank You that both our daughters are well on their way, even though severe weather kept our older daughter from making the flight that was to allow her to fly with her sister most of the way. I do pray for physical and emotional strength for them both, as well as safe arrivals. May the days ahead flow on Your schedule, accomplishing all that You intend, for Your glory. Thank You. Praise God!

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February 3, 2016

Posted on February 5, 2016 by jgarrott

Matthew 10:17, 26 “Be on your guard against men.” “So do not be afraid of them.”

There is a huge difference between being on your guard and being afraid. Some people operate on the principle of “ignorance is bliss,” and try to ignore all possible dangers. That’s not being on your guard, which Jesus specifically instructs us to do. We aren’t to take needless risks, but if God tells us to do something we aren’t to be afraid, even if the risks are huge from a human perspective. In this passage and elsewhere the Bible makes it very clear that if we are fully obedient to God we will encounter opposition, period. That’s why “going with the flow” is so dangerous. Politicians are notorious for saying and doing whatever it takes to get elected, watching opinion polls very carefully. Exceptions to that, who operate on principle rather than popularity, are worth checking out! That said, what Jesus said is far closer to home than how we evaluate politicians. We are to keep our eyes open and exercise both the intellect and the common sense the Lord gives us, but all of that must be subject to the Holy Spirit. As He told Isaiah, God’s ways are far higher than ours, (Isaiah 55:9) and sometimes we can’t see more than the next step in front of us, when we know we are surrounded by pitfalls. That’s where faith comes in! True faith will not be careless, but neither will it be afraid. We need God’s wisdom and discernment to know the difference, but He is faithful to supply all we need. (James 1:5)

As I remember frequently, it was a major breakthrough for me to realize, on more than a theoretical level, that God’s smart and I’m not. It’s not just that He’s smarter than I am, it’s that any wisdom or intellect I might have is simply on loan from Him; I cannot rely on myself. That said, I am to make full use of the intellectual capacity He has given me to discern and do His will. Not being afraid doesn’t mean tossing everything out the window! I am to have a clear-eyed assessment of my circumstances and challenges, not to see whether they can be overcome, since nothing is impossible for God, (Luke 1:37) but to know how to pray and how to cooperate with what God is doing. I am not to evaluate things on the basis of short-term results but on the basis of God’s plans for eternity. I am not to waste opportunities or resources by being careless, but I am to know that my infinite, omnipotent God has and is an infinite supply, and walk in peace and joy.

Father, thank You for this reminder. The past few days have had things that felt good and things that didn’t. Life is like that! Help me never lose sight of Christ, whatever is going on around me, so that I may lay hold of that for which Christ has laid hold of me, (Philippians 3:12) Without fear, may I be and do all that You desire and intend for me, for Your glory. Thank You. Hallelujah!

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February 2, 2016

Posted on February 4, 2016 by jgarrott

Zechariah 8:13 “As you have been an object of cursing among the nations, O Judah and Israel, so will I save you, and you will be a blessing. Do not be afraid, but let your hands be strong.”

We don’t usually think in terms of ethnic labels being curses, but we do it all the time. Opposition to that sort of thing has produced “political correctness,” which goes so far in the other direction as to make sane, logical discourse practically impossible at times. Having gone to seminary in Texas I am very aware of “Aggie jokes,” which put students and graduates of Texas A&M University in the category of jokes. (It was interesting to notice that many alumni delighted in the jokes, but those who were most upset by them were the ones to whom the jokes would seem most to apply!) What God is saying to His people here is, “You aren’t going to be the butt of jokes any more, but rather of envy and admiration, because of how I am going to bless you.” Actually, looking at the nation of Israel today we can see the fulfillment of this promise. Those who are against Israel are that way out of jealousy and hatred, and not for any logical motive. It is not perfect, certainly, but it has one of the highest levels of technological innovation in the world, as well as of education, art, and a number of other markers. It has literally made the desert bloom, to the point of being an agricultural exporter, when a hundred years ago that would have seemed an absurdity. The same thing may be said of genuine Christians. In many areas of the world today they are actively persecuted, but again the biggest motive is envy at the blessings of God that come by faith. The irony there is that those who are doing the persecuting could have those same blessings themselves, if they would only let go of the lies that have bound them and accept the free gift of God. Something the New Testament Church had to struggle with was that the Gospel made the blessings and promises of God available to all who would repent and believe, with no regard to ethnicity. Quite a few Jewish believers choked on that, but God made it abundantly clear. In those days, “Christian” was very much an epithet, a curse, but God fulfilled the promise in this verse. So today, if people speak poorly of us because of our faith, we need to remember that God has chosen us to be a blessing and a channel of His salvation.

I don’t know that I have ever felt persecuted for being a Christian, but I have certainly felt stung by the usage of “foreigner” here in Japan, and also by being called such things as “Jack the Jap” in the US. I too need to find my identity in Christ and recognize that I am created and chosen to be a blessing. I need to remember my brothers and sisters in faith around the world who face active persecution right now, praying for them not simply to be protected but to rise up as God’s people indeed, silencing the lies against them by the truth and power of God, as channels of salvation even to those who now persecute them.

Father, I do pray for those who face active persecution. May they be filled with Your Spirit to the point that they overflow with peace and love, and even joy, regardless of their circumstances. May they have the rock-solid assurance that their current “light and momentary troubles are achieving for us an eternal glory that far outweighs them all.” (2 Corinthians 4:17) May they rejoice in who they are in Christ, and so destroy the lies and strongholds of the enemy, in themselves and in those around them, for Your glory. Thank You. Hallelujah!

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February 1, 2016

Posted on February 4, 2016 by jgarrott

Haggai 2:5 “‘This is what I covenanted with you when you came out of Egypt. And my Spirit remains among you. Do not fear.'”

The thing that strikes me about this verse is God saying, “My Spirit is working among you, so you’ve got nothing to be afraid of.” (That’s the way the Japanese expresses it.) It doesn’t matter what circumstances look like to our natural senses; if the Holy Spirit is at work, we should not be afraid. Frankly, that is often easier said than done. All sorts of things work to make us anxious and afraid. We need to make the clear choice to trust God regardless. I’m back to John 16:33. “In this world you will have trouble. But take heart! I have overcome the world.” We are so easily consumed emotionally by the world around us, when the consistent message of the Bible is that life is far more than that. In Christ, life is eternal and glorious! All we should need to have emotional stability and even joy is the awareness that the Holy Spirit is working in, around, and through us. That is exactly what this verse is talking about. It is reminding us that God’s promises are eternal, and He is totally trustworthy. It is up to us to trust God as He deserves and not allow the devil to steal our peace and joy.

This fits in exactly with the sermon yesterday on James 4:7, in which I said that we experience victory over the devil when we are fully submitted and obedient to God, but only then. I’ve got to listen to my own sermons! It was like a gut punch when one of the major members of the church let another member know he would be attending another church yesterday, but didn’t let me know. I’ve got to trust that the Holy Spirit is at work, and ask Him what I am to do so that the Body of Christ may be built up. I am to be humble and not defensive, knowing that the sheep are mine only by delegation; they belong to God. I am to seek God’s instructions for each day, each moment, not missing any of His appointments but fulfilling my part in each one. I am to delight to be a conduit of His grace and blessing, His Spirit, so that He may be acknowledged as holy and His kingdom come as His will is done in and through me, for His glory.

Father, thank You for this reminder. Various things are coming at us from various directions at this point, and the cumulative effect is beyond what we could handle on our own. However, as Paul said, we can do everything through Christ who strengthens us. (Philippians 4:13) Thank You. Help us indeed rest, relax, and rejoice in the middle of it all, recognizing, receiving, and enjoying all the blessings You have for us in and through it, for Your glory. Thank You. Praise God!

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January 31, 2016

Posted on February 1, 2016 by jgarrott

Zephaniah 3:11-12 “I will remove from this city
those who rejoice in their pride.
Never again will you be haughty
on my holy hill.
But I will leave within you
the meek and humble,
who trust in the name of the Lord.”

I don’t think I’ve ever done a study of it or used it as the theme for selecting daily Bible readings, but the Bible is absolutely loaded with passages like this one that talk about the dangers of pride. Actually, pride was Lucifer’s sin, because he wanted God’s glory for himself. (Isaiah 14:12-14) It was what he used to snare Eve, telling her that disobedience to God would make her become like God, (Genesis 3:5) and it has been the downfall of countless people ever since. The reason it is so deadly is that it tells us we don’t need God, and so elevates us in our minds to the place that rightly belongs only to God. To borrow a baseball term, that’s an automatic out. As this passage says, God will remove such people from His people. Proper humility before God isn’t saying, “I can’t do anything,” it’s saying, “I can’t do anything without God.” Someone who is fully committed to God can easily come across as brash to others, because they have full assurance that though they can’t do anything on their own, God can do anything at all through them. We tend to get so confused on that issue. Often what passes for humility is simply a lack of faith that God can and will use us. In a sense, that’s simply another face of pride, because it’s saying that our weaknesses and inadequacies are too much for God to overcome! God wants us to walk in assurance, just not self-assurance!

This is a difficult issue, and one that has tripped me up numerous times. Conceit has always been a problem for me, and it was a major breakthrough when I had a revelation to the core of my being that God’s smart and I’m not. At the same time, I must not draw back from anything God is directing simply because it is beyond my abilities. If I never do anything beyond my abilities, how is God going to be glorified? God has gifted me with a very wide range of abilities, and I often feel I’m a poor steward of them. That too can be a form of pride, thinking that what God has given me is for my use alone. I’ve got to keep every ability, every resource, fully submitted to God for His use. I know I will be blessed in the process, but that is not to be my goal. Rather, my focus is to be on Him, for His purposes to be done in and through me for His glory.

Father, thank You for this reminder. Thank You for how far You’ve brought me in this area, and for the awareness that I have further to go. Thank You that I don’t need to be anxious about it, because I know that You are indeed more powerful than any of my weaknesses, or all of them put together. Help me be totally humble before You, and at the same time totally assured of Your grace and power in and through me, so that nothing will hinder my availability to You. Thank You. Praise God!

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