February 3, 2015

Posted on February 6, 2015 by jgarrott

Isaiah 13:11 “I will punish the world for its evil,
the wicked for their sins.
I will put an end to the arrogance of the haughty
and will humble the pride of the ruthless.

This verse should be a real comfort to many, because right now the news is filled with people who could be the very definition of ruthless. We see all types and all levels of rebellion against God all around us, but we need to remember that God is still God, and no one is going to “get away with it,” whatever it looks like at the moment. I’m reminded of Japanese journalist Kenji Goto, who was recently beheaded. Unusually for a Japanese in the news, he was a strong Christian, living out his faith in very practical ways, and it cost him his life. However, he has now received the crown of life, (James 1:12 and various others) but those who did this to him face the fires of hell. Actually, Islamic terror is simply the most visible evil at the moment; we run into evil of all sorts every day. It is imperative for every member of God’s family to choose good and not evil at every turn on a consistent basis (Hebrews 5:14) and trust God with the consequences. As Paul reminded us, God has said that He will settle all accounts. (Romans 12:19) It is up to us to walk in grateful, humble obedience.

I will confess to getting quite stirred up at times over what is going on in the world. It is certainly not that I should not care, but I do need to be careful that I not let it steal my peace. I am to be active in every way the Lord directs, both praying and putting feet to my prayers, but I am not to be anxious about the outcome. I will never forget the time the Lord told me personally that many things at the present are not as He would like them to be. However, everything will indeed “come out in the wash,” as the saying goes. No evil can stand against the holiness of God. I am to walk in personal holiness and obedience and trust God with the time table of everything, my life included. It does appear that things are reaching a crescendo, but there have been other times in history that people felt the same thing. In any case, I will personally see my Lord in no more than 30 years or so. Until that time, I am to be active at whatever tasks He sets for me, and trust Him with it all.

Father, I do pray for Mr. Goto’s family, and I also pray for the many thousands of Your children who are undergoing severe trials all over the world. I pray that You would give them a revelation of Your sovereignty and an assurance of Your salvation for them that will bring a peace that indeed surpasses human understanding. (Philippians 4:7) I pray that Your Holy Spirit would be poured out on them in comfort and power. I pray that Your Name would be hallowed and Your kingdom come as Your will is done, throughout this earth as perfectly as it is in heaven. Thank You. Hallelujah!

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February 2, 2015

Posted on February 4, 2015 by jgarrott

Isaiah 5:16 But the Lord Almighty will be exalted by his justice,
and the holy God will show himself holy by his righteousness.

We like to focus on God’s love and mercy, but we ignore His justice and righteousness to our peril. (The Japanese says “judgment” rather than “justice,” but the implication is certainly of just judgment.) Insurance companies speak of “acts of God,” but they treat them as random natural phenomena rather than as anything intentional on the part of the Creator. The very idea that you could insure against the judgment of God is laughable! That’s not to say that everyone who suffers in a natural disaster has earned that suffering any more than the next person. Jesus dealt with that issue very specifically in Luke 13:1-5. We all deserve worse than we get! When children are not raised to know that actions have consequences, sometimes painful ones, they grow up without a proper fear of God, with a stunted or twisted conscience. Likewise, parents who try to protect their children from any possibility of injury are doing them no favors, because the world is not like that. When we do stupid or careless things, unpleasant consequences result. You cannot spit in God’s face and get away with it. God is indeed incredibly merciful and loving, but it takes repentance to see and receive that side of Him. He is holy and He is righteous, and nothing will ever change that.

As a pastor I prefer to focus on God’s love and mercy, but if I fail to point out His holiness and justice I am insulting Him and doing no one any favors. The message of grace is meaningless unless and until we really understand that we need it. The second verse to the hymn, At Calvary, says it very well. “By God’s grace at last my sin I learned. Then I trembled at the Law I’d spurned, till my guilty soul imploring turned to Calvary.” I’ve got to help people understand first of all that they are headed for hell by their own choice, and then and only then help them see that they can choose to do otherwise because of what Christ has done for them. Laying the foundation of an understanding of sin and judgment can be difficult in Japan, but even America is increasingly becoming a post-Christian culture, and there too people need to be taught there is a right and a wrong. I cannot do it in my own strength and wisdom (which are no strength or wisdom at all) so I’ve got to seek and depend on the help of the Holy Spirit. As Jesus said, He will convict of sin, righteousness and judgment, (John 16:8-11) and there we have the foundation for repentance and faith. I cannot do it on my own, but I am to keep myself available as an instrument of the Holy Spirit for whenever and however He wants to use me, for the salvation of many and the glory of Jesus Christ.

Father, thank You for the privilege of participating in Your plan of salvation, not only for myself but for others as well. Help me be increasingly effective as Your agent, for a massive harvest in Your kingdom, for Your glory. Thank You. Hallelujah!

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February 1, 2015

Posted on February 4, 2015 by jgarrott

Isaiah 2:17-18 The arrogance of man will be brought low
and the pride of men humbled;
the Lord alone will be exalted in that day,
and the idols will totally disappear.

Verse seven of this chapter speaks of material wealth, and verse eight speaks of people worshiping what they themselves have made. That sounds a lot like most of the “developed” world today! When things go so well for us we have a stubborn tendency to think we’ve done it ourselves, and we don’t need God. This is precisely what Moses warned the Israelites about before they entered Canaan. (Deuteronomy 8:6-20) One reason we have the Bible is so that we will know how Moses’ warning was both given and fulfilled. Isaiah is simply recognizing the state of things and reiterating the warning. At this point, all sorts of things point to these verses being fulfilled again, and it won’t be pretty. Naturally enough, I pay a lot of attention to America. There are indeed some hopeful signs, as more and more people seem to be waking up to how bad things really are, and there are pockets of genuine revival among young people, but the overall picture is dire as so many people insist that man, not God, is the answer to all problems. When you remove God from society you remove the foundation for all good, because without God there is no basis for right and wrong. Atheists have been trying recently to say that is a good thing, but thoughtful Christians have been pointing out that no one would want to live in the sort of world that would result if there were no morality at all. For such thoughtful Christians, this passage should be a comfort and encouragement, even as they pray for mercy for their neighbors and their nation.

I’ve never been especially tempted by wealth, but advances in science can become idols as well, and that has been a weakness for me. I am delighted to learn of new discoveries and developments, but I must never let God out of the picture, as so many technology-centered people seem to do. Too often our scientific pursuits are reminiscent of the Tower of Babel, as we substitute our achievements for God. That is indeed hubris, the consuming pride that has been recognized as dangerous in many societies (the word comes from the ancient Greeks). At my current age I enjoy technology and its fruit, but I’ve got to keep it in the category of a tool with which I may serve God. As I look at problems around the world, I must never think for a moment that any merely human endeavor could solve them, but always pray and depend on God. He always has the Final Answer, and it’s no game.

Father, thank You for this reminder. Thank You for being able to read yesterday about what You are doing in high schools in Los Angeles, of all places. Help me always remember that You are God and nothing is impossible for You. May I keep You at the focus of my heart and mind, the foundation and goal of everything, so that I won’t be distracted by all the stuff, good and bad, but will be secure and strong in Christ, for Your glory. Thank You. Praise God!

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January 31, 2015

Posted on February 1, 2015 by jgarrott

Proverbs 29:19 A servant cannot be corrected by mere words;
though he understands, he will not respond.

I think I can say with confidence that I’ve never written on this verse before, or even underlined it! I daresay that in the original context it was advocating physical abuse of servants, and that is at the very least out of place today. However, as I read it just now, I feel the Lord was speaking to me a truth that is important especially for me, and that is that words alone are seldom sufficient to get the message across. More than just lectures, we need training, and often, physical correction. This is especially evident with young children, who might seem to understand what is being said to them but turn out to have an entirely different interpretation than what was intended. On top of that, young children are also more open about the rebellion that seems to be deeply implanted in the human psyche. As adults, we may understand what God wants of us but not want to do it anyway. With little children and their parents that can seem cute to bystanders (though not to the parents) but it is far more serious between us and God. God is incredibly patient and He gives us repeated opportunities to learn the lessons we need, but sometimes time runs out, and that is tragic. We need to listen to God with obedient hearts, allowing Him to walk us through the truth He is speaking to us, so that it will be more than just theory, but living reality in our lives.

As someone with Teacher gifting I tend to dump truth on people and expect that to be sufficient, and it seldom is. Just as this verse says, even when they understand what I’m saying, there’s no response. When I’m speaking God’s truth, that’s a shame! I am certainly not to run around with a whip, but I am to take people by the hand and walk them through what God is saying. On the wall beside my devotion / sermon workstation here I have a paper titled, Preaching to Change Lives. It is from a seminar I attended let by Mark Conner of Australia, and that one seminar did me more good that the Preaching class I took in seminary. One of the last points on the outline says, “Be practical – application is the primary purpose. Knowledge alone doesn’t change people. The Great Commission says, ‘Teach them to do all that I have commanded you,’ e.g. how to pray.” Having it beside me doesn’t mean I always pay attention to it! This year I really need to focus on Ephesians 4:12, preparing God’s people for works of service, so that we will be more of an active organism, rather than me doing most of it and nobody else growing much. That’s going to take some real changes on my part. Just doing it myself is often the easier course! However, easier is often not better, and I must not be lazy.

Father, thank You for this Word. And may I say, ouch. Help me be fully intentional in training, not just telling, so that the believers may be built up as You intend, to be true disciples and witnesses indeed, just as Jesus instructed us, for Your glory. Thank You. Praise God!

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January 30, 2015

Posted on February 1, 2015 by jgarrott

Proverbs 22:6 Train a child in the way he should go,
and when he is old he will not turn from it.

This is a very famous verse, and we ignore its truth to the peril of our families and our society. Various people have put it to evil use, including the Communists and the Nazis. “Impressionable” is an appropriate term to use with children, because like clay they tend to retain what is pressed into them. For some, it is more like “memory foam,” that retains the impression for a while and then reverts, but some personalities and some circumstances make it more like potter’s clay, which when fired retains its shape until shattered. Parents take their responsibility to train their children all too lightly much of the time, entrusting their education to whomever is convenient and not recognizing that the home is the foundation of all education. That’s not to say that every child should be home-schooled by any means, but it is to say that what happens outside of the house is secondary to what happens inside it. The foundation stones are very simple: the awareness that they are loved and worthy of love, and that those around them are worthy of love and respect as well. Sadly, many children don’t acquire that awareness. I tell couples that apart from the bare necessities of food, shelter and clothing, children need only two things: the awareness that Mommy and Daddy love them, and the awareness that Mommy and Daddy love each other. Any child with those two things firmly in place is well on the way to a good life.

I could go on and on about this for some time, but this isn’t the place for that. I have had the privilege of interpreting for Don and Katie Fortune multiple times as they have taught on Motivational Gifts, which are in a sense what we are as human beings, and I find myself wanting to go through their teaching often in various counseling situations. I am to use that Bible-based understanding of human personality not only in my teaching but also in my various interactions, recognizing individual differences and making allowance for them. Especially in my marital/parental counseling I am to seek to help people understand that our differences are a good thing: we aren’t supposed to be identical. What is appropriate for one person, and especially for one child, isn’t going to be the same as what is appropriate for another. When we try to force children into molds that aren’t appropriate for them, they will depart from them as soon as they can! I’ve got to teach, and exercise, the foundations of love and respect, so that homes may be healthy. Only then will society as a whole be healthy. It all comes back to allowing the character of Jesus Christ to be expressed through me, for His glory.

Father, sometimes I go into overload, there’s so much I want people to know and understand. I certainly empathize with what Jesus said in the Upper Room: “I have much more to say to you, more than you can now bear.” (John 16:12) I tend to overload people with more than they can absorb. Help me speak what You want said when You want it said, in Your love, so that Your truth may indeed penetrate and set people free, for their salvation and Your glory. Thank You. Hallelujah!

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January 29, 2015

Posted on January 30, 2015 by jgarrott

Proverbs 18:15 The heart of the discerning acquires knowledge;
the ears of the wise seek it out.

In this Information Age it is very easy to fall into information overload, and sometimes the reaction is to shut things out. That’s not the path of wisdom. Discernment is certainly called for: what is important and what isn’t, what is valid and what isn’t. There’s a lot of inaccurate information out there! However, isolation is not the answer. Of course, the most important information we can gain is about our Creator and Lord. The Lord spoke very clearly to Jeremiah. “Let not the wise man boast of his wisdom or the strong man boast of his strength or the rich man boast of his riches, but let him who boasts boast about this: that he understands and knows me, that I am the Lord, who exercises kindness, justice and righteousness on earth, for in these I delight.” (Jeremiah 9:23-24) It is only when we have a firm foundation of knowledge of and faith in the Lord that we can interpret everything else correctly. There is value in knowledge of many sorts, but many have been led astray by seeking “higher knowledge” that is not of God. That was a problem even in the 1st Century, and it was called Gnosticism, seeking knowledge for the sake of knowledge. We are to seek knowledge that will make us more effective as servants of the Lord.

I have always been a “knowledge junkie,” reading the Encyclopedia Britannica for fun even in the 4th grade, and have been called a walking dictionary or a walking encyclopedia by quite a few people. However, in this information age, even I experience overload! A case in point is that I just acquired my first tablet computer. After 30 years of working with the keyboard/mouse paradigm, the learning curve is very steep! I am experiencing a strong urge to retreat to the familiar, but the Lord started speaking to me about getting a tablet to use with sermon notes a couple of weeks before the hinge broke on my notebook computer. Retreat is not an option! I can see a lot of potential benefit to having the tablet, but I’ve got to be humble and patient with myself. At the same time, I must not let technology distract me from my Lord and those to whom He wants me to minister. Tools are tools, neither more nor less, and I am to view them, and everything else, from my Lord’s perspective.

Father, thank You for this exercise in humility. When I am used to teaching and guiding others about computers, the frustration of being a beginner is immense! I pray that this will be an effective tool in Your hands through me, so that the work You have for me may be done more simply and effectively, communicating Your truth to those who need to receive it, for their blessing and Your glory. Thank You. Praise God!

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January 28, 2015

Posted on January 30, 2015 by jgarrott

Proverbs 16:20 Whoever gives heed to instruction prospers,
and blessed is he who trusts in the Lord.

A slight difference in translation makes a major difference between the Japanese and the NIV here. (The ASV is close to the Japanese.) Where the NIV says “instruction,” the Japanese says, “the Word.” Sometimes we get bad instructions, and paying attention to them doesn’t bring good results. However, fixing the Word in our heart (the exact Japanese phrase) will certainly bring blessing. The second half of the verse is also important, because if we don’t trust what we have heard from the Lord, we won’t do it consistently. I keep coming back to James 1:22. “Do not merely listen to the word, and so deceive yourselves. Do what it says.” In my marriage counseling I tell couples that God is the engineer who designed and produces human beings, and the Bible is our instruction manual. As the saying goes, when all else fails, read the manual! If you had a piece of equipment and refused to read, much less follow, the manual, you wouldn’t get very good use out of it. Our lives are the same way. It is when we take in God’s Word and apply it that we discover all the good things for which we were created.

Since I was raised in a home that was steeped in the Bible, and read it through myself by the time I was 10, awareness of the Word has never been an issue. Paying attention to it and following it, however, has been a different matter! I became quite an expert at ignoring what I didn’t care for at the moment, and the results of that were never good. One of my daughters, in a period of rebellion, said that she had discarded all of the Bible except 1 Corinthians 6:12 “ ‘Everything is permissible for me’—but not everything is beneficial. ‘Everything is permissible for me’—but I will not be mastered by anything.” I never articulated it that clearly, but that was pretty much my attitude as well. Thankfully, that daughter has come back to wholehearted devotion to the Lord, as have I, but I am painfully aware that knowing the Word and obeying/living by the Word are quite different things. Paul even spoke of Gentiles who did not know the Bible obeying what God had written on their hearts. (Romans 2:14-15) As a pastor I am to encourage people to read and know the Word, but my focus must be on helping them do what it says. Early Christians had no more than the Old Testament, if that, and before the invention of the printing press it was rare for people to have personal copies of any part of the Bible beyond what they had written out themselves by hand. “Familiarity breeds contempt” is all too applicable when it comes to the Bible. I need to treasure the Word myself and teach others to do the same, so that it may have its full work in and through us. (Isaiah 55:10-11)

Father, thank You for this reminder. Thank You for the passion for Your Word that You have given me, and for the privilege of sharing Your Word with others. May I be increasingly effective in that, raising up a generation of true disciples, so that the world may see what Your kingdom looks like and repent and believe for themselves, for their salvation and Your glory. Thank You. Hallelujah!

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January 27, 2015

Posted on January 29, 2015 by jgarrott

Proverbs 15:33 The fear of the Lord teaches a man wisdom,
and humility comes before honor.

It doesn’t take very astute powers of observation to recognize this truth in the world all around us! Criminals of all stripes obviously don’t fear the Lord, nor do politicians who use their office strictly for personal gain. Many in the world are anxious for fame, for this world’s “honor,” (which often isn’t very honorable) and abandon the very humility that is required for real honor. It’s become a saying that “There’s no such thing as bad publicity.” How sad! In the final analysis, how God sees us is infinitely more important than everything else combined. Peter said it clearly: “Humble yourselves, therefore, under God’s mighty hand, that He may lift you up in due time.” (1 Peter 5:6) Jesus put it this way: “What good is it for a man to gain the whole world, yet forfeit his soul?” (Mark 8:36) The song from the movie Cabaret (from what I know of it; I haven’t actually seen it) seems to capture the world’s attitude. “If that’s all there is, then let’s keep dancing.” The thing is, that’s not all there is. We are created for eternity, and we have an innate awareness of that fact, as Solomon noted. (Ecclesiastes 3:11) However, we become very practiced at ignoring that fact and focusing on the here and now, to our own great loss. The honor we should be aiming for is to hear our Lord say, “Well done, good and faithful servant.” (Matthew 25:21, 23)

I have seen “glory hounds” and I have seen faithful servants of God, and there’s no question which I would rather be. My father did receive various honors, including a very high award from the Emperor of Japan at the time of his death, but he never sought those honors. I have rubbed elbows with various “big name” people throughout my life, and I’ve seen that they are just as human as anyone else. My focus needs to be on pleasing God, not just because He can zap me at any time, but because He is more than worthy of my total obedience and devotion. Just as I did not want to displease my earthly father, even more I don’t want to displease my heavenly Father, because His love for me is so great that I want to be totally committed to loving Him in response. Romans 12:1-2 needs to be the pattern of my life, so that I may indeed know and do the will of God. “Therefore, I urge you, brothers, in view of God’s mercy, to offer your bodies as living sacrifices, holy and pleasing to God—this is your spiritual act of worship. Do not conform any longer to the pattern of this world, but be transformed by the renewing of your mind. Then you will be able to test and approve what God’s will is—his good, pleasing and perfect will.”

Father, thank You for bringing me this far. You know all the missteps I’ve had along the way, even better than I do. Thank You that I can trust You to guide and protect me all the way home. Help me be more and more effective in drawing others into right relationship with You, for their salvation and Your glory, because I know that is what You desire. Thank You. Praise God!

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January 26, 2015

Posted on January 29, 2015 by jgarrott

Proverbs 11:2 When pride comes, then comes disgrace,
but with humility comes wisdom.

Japanese has multiple words for pride, with different nuances. The term here is inflated, puffed up, rather than pride of accomplishment. We’ve all seen this verse in action. Someone who is puffed up is sooner or later going to be deflated! Gratitude for what God has enabled us to do is not wrong, but we’ve got to remember what Paul said in Romans 12:3. “For by the grace given me I say to every one of you: Do not think of yourself more highly than you ought, but rather think of yourself with sober judgment, in accordance with the measure of faith God has given you.” Genuine humility doesn’t say, “I can do nothing,” but rather, “I can do what God enables me to do.” We get into trouble when we forget that it is only by God’s grace that we can do anything, but it is also problematical when we refuse to recognize what God has enabled us to do. In English we use the term “self confidence,” but I don’t care for the “self” in that. We should have confidence, assurance, of what God has placed in us, but we must be careful to give God the glory, not only externally but in our own thoughts and feelings. God knows our hearts even better than we do, and He can discern our true motives.

This has been a continuing struggle for me, because God has given me a wide range of abilities, in just about every area except sports. The whole question of stewardship has haunted me, because I have had to choose which abilities to exercise and which to allow to lie dormant. Any ability takes work to rise to a high level, and I feel like I have been rather lazy. I need to have the humility to ask God what to do with each ability, each opportunity, and the faithfulness to follow through with whatever He shows me. Everything He has given me has a purpose in His plan, and I need to seek Him so as to fulfill that purpose and follow His plan.

Father, thank You again for Your grace. I haven’t earned any of the things You’ve given me, and yet You have given me so much. May I walk constantly in the obedient gratitude You desire and deserve, so that Your Name may be hallowed and Your kingdom come as Your will is done. Thank You. Hallelujah!

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January 25, 2015

Posted on January 29, 2015 by jgarrott

Proverbs 3:25-26 Have no fear of sudden disaster
or of the ruin that overtakes the wicked,
for the Lord will be your confidence
and will keep your foot from being snared.

There is a major difference between the Japanese and the English here. Where the NIV says, “the ruin that overtakes the wicked,” the Japanese says, “when the wicked come against you.” Even so, the point remains the same: don’t be afraid, because God is with you. We have a great deal to be afraid of these days. “Sudden disaster” seems all too possible! However, living in fear is never the answer. As Jesus said, in this world we will have trouble, but we are to be confident in His victory. (John 16:33) I have always liked Psalms 91:9-10. “If you make the Most High your dwelling— even the Lord, who is my refuge— then no harm will befall you, no disaster will come near your tent.” The very first time I read through the NIV translation, back in the ’70s, I wrote in the margin, “Whatever happens, it isn’t disaster.” That is the perfect antidote to terrorism. The whole point of terrorism is fear, making you afraid. If you refuse to be afraid, then the terrorists have lost right there. This isn’t burying your head in the sand, it is placing confidence in God. None of us has a guarantee of tomorrow on this earth, terrorism aside, but anyone who is committed to Jesus Christ as Lord has a guarantee of eternity in heaven, and that’s better than any number of tomorrows on this earth. When our hearts are truly fixed on Christ, then even an execution date is no big deal. That’s what Paul experienced in a Roman prison when he wrote, “For I am already being poured out like a drink offering, and the time has come for my departure. I have fought the good fight, I have finished the race, I have kept the faith. Now there is in store for me the crown of righteousness, which the Lord, the righteous Judge, will award to me on that day—and not only to me, but also to all who have longed for his appearing.” (2 Timothy 4:6-8) That is the faith to which we should aspire, and it is true victory.

When my father was in the hospital awaiting the surgery from which he didn’t wake up on this earth, another missionary to Japan who happened to be in Winston Salem at that point stopped in to see him. At my father’s memorial service in Japan he reported, “I never saw a man with more reason to live, or more ready to die.” I take that as a personal example and challenge. My father was just a few days past his 64th birthday at that point and I’ve already passed 66, so I consider every day a gift to be used in service to my Lord. The devil does try to attack me with assorted “what ifs,” but I am to rejoice to be available to serve my Lord through serving those around me. Anxious fear is never from God, nor pleasing to Him. I am to rejoice in my Lord, and share that joy with as many as will receive it.

Father thank You for Your truly amazing grace. Help me be a faithful conduit of that grace to those around me, never letting fear of any sort hold me back. May all of Your purposes for me be fulfilled, on Your schedule and for Your glory. Thank You. Hallelujah!

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