August 8, 2014

Posted on August 10, 2014 by jgarrott

Ezekiel 3:17 “Son of man, I have made you a watchman for the house of Israel; so hear the word I speak and give them warning from me.”

The idea of someone claiming to speak for God seems like pure hubris to some people, but it is a very Biblical concept. This is one of the clearest statements in the Old Testament, and Paul’s words in 2 Corinthians 5:20 are equally clear. “We are therefore Christ’s ambassadors, as though God were making his appeal through us. We implore you on Christ’s behalf: Be reconciled to God.” God does speak directly to people, and that is one of many reasons to pursue a deepening relationship with Him, but for those who don’t have the ears of their heart opened, a spokesman for God is not just helpful, but essential. However, this isn’t an assignment to take lightly. This passage in Ezekiel, along with its reiteration in Ezekiel 33, is both clear and severe as to the consequences of failing to pass on what we hear from God. These days, “political correctness” is a huge paper tiger in the way of speaking out what God is saying. The moment someone is perfectly clear about sin and its consequences, that person is accused of every form of hatred and discrimination imaginable. It is abundantly clear that those who speak most of “tolerance” are the least tolerant people around when it comes to anything that might indicate that they are sinners. However, that’s just a paper tiger, because the worst they can do to someone is kill them, but obedience to God brings eternal life and abundant rewards in that life. Christians aren’t to run around pointing fingers, but when God gives opportunity they are certainly to call people to repentance, as Christ’s ambassadors.

Since I am a pastor, and specifically one in Japan, where a very small percentage of people are Christians by any label, this is clearly applicable to me. However, it certainly calls for wisdom. If I were to go around condemning everything that is clearly unbiblical, even, I would quickly lose whatever audience I might have. I am to speak as God gives opportunity, but I must always do so in love, and never speaking down to anyone. My heart needs to be broken at the huge numbers of people around me who are headed for hell. However, that is true for genuine Christians anywhere, including America. If America had had more faithful watchmen, she might not be where she is right now, in very grave danger. As a watchman I’ve got to be willing to be disliked. However, that risk is smaller than the devil wants me to believe. I once made an appointment with my secular boss and used it to give a very clear Gospel presentation. He declined the invitation to believe, but expressed respect for me for having issued it. I am to be an example to others who are afraid to “rock the boat,” speaking boldly in love whenever God gives opportunity, so that as many as will may be saved.

Father, You know this is an issue that has bothered me through the years. I feel my heart is not broken enough, yet if I mourned every individual I would be paralyzed with grief. Help me love people with Your love, which is strong enough that Jesus died, while at the same time resting in peace and joy because of Your grace toward me. May I be an effective ambassador for You to all whom I encounter, for their salvation and Your glory. Thank You. Hallelujah!

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August 7, 2014

Posted on August 8, 2014 by jgarrott

Jeremiah 51:6 “Flee from Babylon!
Run for your lives!
Do not be destroyed because of her sins.
It is time for the Lord’s vengeance;
he will pay her what she deserves.”

Back on June 16th, in reference to Proverbs 14:34, I was writing about how much America today looks like Babylon. At the time I was thinking of the references in Revelation, but this verse certainly seems to apply. As I wrote in June, today Babylon is much more a spiritual than a physical location, so “fleeing from Babylon” is more a matter of lifestyle than geography. Where the NIV has “Run for your lives,” the Japanese says, “Let each one save his own life.” This is very much an individual decision, and it involves at least standing firm, and probably moving, against the flow of society around you. That’s never easy, but it gets easier with practice. In the short term it’s always easier to “go with the flow,” but when that flow is other than the River of Life, (Revelation 22:1) that can be fatal. I recall being told by people who were in 3rd story rooms during the Nagasaki Flood of 1982 of seeing cars being swept out to sea by the water, with people inside screaming for help but no one could get to them. At least in the matter of escape from spiritual Babylon there’s always help available, and that is the Holy Spirit. However, we have to ask for that help, and that’s where it’s a matter of each one saving his own life. Those on the side of moral decay are quick to tell those who oppose them, “You’re on the wrong side of history.” That’s not true, because the Bible is very clear that the culmination of history is the righteous judgment of God, and it goes without saying that those who defy God will very much be on the wrong side there.

I am subjected to the same temptations and pressures as anyone, but I’ve had more practice in distinguishing good from evil than some. (Hebrews 5:14) Actually, that leaves me less excuse when I slip up! I am at a physical remove from America, but the Internet carries “Babylonian” culture everywhere. Actually, Islam uses revulsion against some of the elements of “Babylonian” culture to further their cause, when it is, if possible, even more from the pit of hell. I’ve got to stand firm against the tide of filth, while calling others to do likewise, and even being an example that it is possible to do so. The devil tries to convince people that “resistance is futile,” when nothing could be further from the truth. When we choose to submit to God and resist the devil, (James 4:7) we have all the power of heaven on our side! That’s why the devil flees. However, it’s got to be our choice, and sometimes that’s not easy. That’s why I’m to strengthen and encourage, rather than accuse and condemn, not depending on human strength or “willpower,” but on God.

Father, thank You for this reminder. Help me be an encouragement indeed to those around me, both those close and those I can influence via the Internet. May I always speak Your truth in love, so that it may penetrate and set people free from their Babylonian chains, for their salvation and Your glory. Thank You. Praise God!

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August 6, 2014

Posted on August 7, 2014 by jgarrott

Jeremiah 33:2-3 “This is what the Lord says, he who made the earth, the Lord who formed it and established it – the Lord is his name: ‘Call to me and I will answer you and tell you great and unsearchable things you do not know.'”

There are some fundamental problems in communication between God and man, and they are all on man’s side. Let’s face it, we are finite and God is infinite. Not only is there much we cannot know, there is much we should not know, because we would make the wrong use of that knowledge. However, God in His grace does reveal stuff to us, and sometimes it really blows our minds. Paul repeatedly talked about the “mystery” of God’s plans. We have the prophetic record in the Bible and God still speaks prophecies today, but this is on a different level. It’s not about dates and events so much, though those can be important, but about God’s purposes in it all. Once we really grasp, by the revelation of the Holy Spirit, what God is doing and why, then the details of when and how fade in importance. As this passage says, such things are beyond our understanding (“unsearchable”) without the help of the Holy Spirit. We see tragedies, such as tsunami with tens of thousands of casualties, and our human minds blow a fuse, so to speak. This very passage talks about houses being filled with dead bodies. However, God brings good even out of tragedies, and it blows our minds. The revelation we need most of all is that God is always God and He is always good and loving, even when judgment is involved. Salvation is by grace through faith, which means trusting Him enough to walk in obedience no matter what is going on around us. (Ephesians 2:8-10)

I have had to be reminded of this many times, particularly as the moral and political situation in the US has taken a nosedive. It has been a real test of faith, and I think the test is going to get worse. However, the point is to keep trusting, even if houses are filled with the dead, as happened in Jeremiah’s time. Such trust does not mean inactivity; I am to be active in my obedience, knowing that God can use even me in bringing about His righteous plans. I am called to communicate the Gospel and shepherd those who receive it, knowing I can’t do it in my own strength but that God can and will do it through me, if I will walk in trusting obedience.

Father, keep me from agonizing over when and how You might do things, but rather rest, relax, and rejoice in You, regardless of what is going on in the world around me. Help me not dread possibilities, as the press urges us to do, but know and proclaim that even if those dire things come to pass, You are still God and You are still good, and all who call on You will be saved. (Acts 2:21) Thank You. Hallelujah!

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August 5, 2014

Posted on August 6, 2014 by jgarrott

Jeremiah 31:34 “No longer will a man teach his neighbor,
or a man his brother, saying, ‘Know the Lord,’
because they will all know me,
from the least of them to the greatest,”
declares the Lord.
“For I will forgive their wickedness
and will remember their sins no more.”

The thing that strikes me about this verse is that, because it is talking about a future time when everyone will know the Lord, (Philippians 2:9-11) until that time everyone should be speaking to those around them saying, “Know the Lord,” and teaching them about Him. The phrase, “no longer,” definitely implies that what is about to be said is the current situation. We’re not even there yet! We are surrounded by people who don’t know the Lord, even if they happen to have membership in a church. That’s why it’s imperative that everyone who does know the Lord tell and teach others about Him. It’s interesting that this verse specifies both those of low and high social standing. Those of low social standing are all too often ignored, and those of high social standing are considered unapproachable. Everyone needs to know the Lord! The Bible is loaded with scriptures that talk about God’s concern for the poor and lowly, as well as with passages that talk about the dangers of trusting in wealth. Galatians 3:28 is a verse I quote frequently in marriage counseling to point out that no one has the right to lord it over someone else, and it brings up the matter of slavery, even. In ancient times a slave had no standing or rights at all, but God says a slave is of equal value with a king. At the same time, that king is equally in need of the grace, mercy, and salvation of God as the slave. We are to share the Gospel equally with all, loving them with God’s love.

Since I grew up rubbing elbows with people others called “great,” I’ve never been especially in awe of titles or positions. At the same time, my father in particular set an example of never considering himself above anyone else, regardless of their social position. That was a good environment in which to grow up! The Japanese language has various levels of politeness, depending on whether the person to whom you are speaking is “above” or “below” you. That’s one of my weakest areas, linguistically speaking, because I tend to speak to everyone the same! People are sometimes touched and sometimes offended, but most often they chalk it up to my being a foreigner (I think). However, that’s not to say I’m sufficiently active in exhorting and teaching everyone to know the Lord! I’ve got to remember that our purpose in being on this earth is to come to know Him and to encourage other to do likewise. If we gain all of this world’s accolades and fail in that point, then we have failed indeed.

Father, thank You for giving me the opportunity to teach and exhort others to know You, and Jesus Christ the only Savior. Help me do it more consistently and more effectively, for their salvation and Your glory. Thank You. Praise God!

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August 4, 2014

Posted on August 6, 2014 by jgarrott

Jeremiah 23:6 “In his days Judah will be saved
and Israel will live in safety.
This is the name by which he will be called:
The LORD Our Righteousness.”

The various names given for God are an interesting and important study. As several commentaries and translation introductions point out, the covenant Name for God is recorded as YHWH, because no devout Jew would want to say it for fear of breaking the 3rd Commandment. However, that commandment is to not misuse His Name; it isn’t a prohibition from speaking His Name at all. In any case, we wind up with some confusion in English as to the distinctions among the various names that are used, particularly in the Old Testament. The NIV, wisely enough, chooses to use LORD (all caps) when the Hebrew has YHWH, and this is one of those times. This is important, because Adonai is generally translated “Lord,” but Baal, which is used for heathen deities, also means “lord.” Even the Hebrew people mixed those up sometimes! What God is saying through Jeremiah here is that He Himself is our righteousness, and when the Messiah reigns, there will be no question of that. This is what Paul was talking about in Ephesians 2:8-10, where he says that we are saved by grace through faith, and not by what we do. We can never be good enough by our own effort to approach God for anything but judgment, but Christ has become our righteousness (1 Corinthians 1:30) so that we may be saved.

I have certainly learned that I can never be “good enough” on my own! Sins of commission (things I do) and omission (things I fail to do) require frequent repentance! If I didn’t have the promises of God, I would completely give up. However, I do have those promises, so I can walk in peace. Those promises are Good News indeed to anyone who hasn’t heard or doesn’t yet believe them, so I, along with other believers, am charged with sharing them with as many as possible. I’ve got to keep it straight in my own heart and mind that this isn’t a system of religion, this is encountering a Savior who loved us enough to take the penalty for our sin so that we might receive His righteousness. Sometimes when I feel powerless in the face of my own weaknesses I have to remind myself of the basics of the Gospel, and know that His grace is sufficient for me. (2 Corinthians 12:9)

Father, thank You for this reminder. Sometimes I seem to have no control at all over what I am doing, such as when I woke my wife up repeatedly last night because of whatever it was I was dreaming, though I have no memory of it. Thank You that Your grace is sufficient there too, for her and for me both. Help me never take Your grace for granted but always apply myself to full obedience, in gratitude for what You have already done to save me. Thank You. Praise God!

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August 3, 2014

Posted on August 6, 2014 by jgarrott

Jeremiah 22:21 “I warned you when you felt secure,
but you said, ‘I will not listen!’
This has been your way from your youth;
you have not obeyed me.”

God speaks to everyone at various times in various ways, but all too often we refuse to listen. As the Old Testament records in sometimes depressing detail, the better things are going for us, as we see it, the less likely we are to recognize our need for God. Moses warned the Israelites about this strongly, (Deuteronomy 6:10-12; 8:6-20) but even so they repeated the pattern again and again of ignoring God until they were in trouble, crying out to Him and returning to Him, and then as things got better, ignoring Him again. As Paul says in 1 Corinthians 10:11, the Old Testament record is there as an example for us, both of what to do and what not to do. However, we have quite a track record of not paying attention! America right now is in the middle of that, having pushed God out of the marketplace and out of government to an astonishing degree. The question now is simply whether there will be genuine repentance or not. There are signs both directions, but each believer needs to examine himself to see how well he has focused on listening obediently to God, not running around accusing others of being worse, but repenting of lapses and walking in personal faithfulness. Only then is there real hope for America.

I have become increasingly aware of the degradation of America in recent years, both from increased information flow because of the Internet and because, frankly, America’s slide into the pit has really picked up speed. The thing is, I have been oblivious for far too long, being titillated by the tricks of the devil along with everyone else. I must stand firm in my own obedience, warning others and standing as an example that faithfulness is even possible. I think a lot of people have given up! Jesus spoke many times about “hearing ears,” both during His earthly ministry and as He gave John the messages for the seven churches in Revelation. Spiritual ears are a gracious gift from God, but they are also a choice, and must be used to be effective. If I ignore what I hear God saying to me now, I will be less likely to hear Him the next time.

Father, thank You for this reminder. Thank You for all You allow in my life to keep me aware of my need for You. I tell others that we can’t even take a single breath apart from Your gracious support, yet all too often I act like I’ve forgotten that. Help me indeed listen obediently and not be rebellious, for my own sake and for the sake of those to whom I minister, for Your glory. Thank You. Praise God!

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August 2, 2014

Posted on August 3, 2014 by jgarrott

Jeremiah 20:13-14 Sing to the Lord!
Give praise to the Lord!
He rescues the life of the needy
from the hands of the wicked.
Cursed be the day I was born!
May the day my mother bore me not be blessed!

If Jeremiah were ministering today, he would be medicated at least and quite possibly institutionalized. His mood swings were such that today he would be diagnosed as manic/depressive (bi-polar) at least, and quite possibly schizophrenic. To me, that opens up the whole can of worms that is known as psychiatric medicine. I know that mental illness does exist, but secular “experts” who deny any spiritual connection make total wrecks of people’s lives all too often. When the Biblical pattern of deliverance from demonic spirits is brought up, such “experts” fall all over themselves deriding the very idea. At the same time, mental health professionals who are honest will concede that there are many phenomena that secular medicine can’t explain. I’ve been visiting patients at the Prefectural Mental Health Center (a rather large mental hospital) for over 20 years now, and the current Assistant Director is one such professional. Deliverance ministry as such aside, I have found that the biggest keys to helping people who are classified as patients are repentance and forgiveness, and both of those are predicated on a grasp of the love of God. People won’t repent unless they know that God’s love is greater than whatever they did/are doing, and they won’t forgive others without understanding the magnificence of the forgiveness that is available to them. Jeremiah here was dealing with the issue of God loving him despite what he was going through, and he certainly had forgiveness issues toward those who were mistreating him! That said, all theologians today would agree that Jeremiah was a spiritual giant, mightily used as a prophet of God. In other words, struggling with emotional issues doesn’t disqualify anyone, but when we rush to classify such struggles as illness, we often get in the way of the very restoration we say we seek.

I have no high horse from which to look down on anyone on this issue. I attempted suicide in college, and am no stranger to destructive behaviors. That’s why I am convinced that the love of God is the best medicine for every ill, and that those who are in Christ can be channels of that love. Some of the professionals at the mental hospital seem to resent me and my visits, and more restrictions have been placed on me the past couple of years. I don’t think they remember the patients who were successfully discharged because of my ministry, or else they are simply jealous. I’m not to let that deter me, but keep expressing God’s love to patients and staff alike, both through my words and through the simple fact that I care enough to show up, week after week. Patience is certainly a prime requirement! I cannot force the staff or the patients’ families to accept my ministry, because the vast majority have no real faith at all, and certainly not in Christ. Accordingly, my ministry is to them as well as to the patients. The task is totally beyond me, which is all the more reason to expect God to do more and more remarkable things, even using me.

Father, thank You for using me in that context. Thank You for those who have come to glorious faith. May I keep my eyes on You and not on the distractions, so that many people may be brought to Your full salvation, for Your glory. Thank You. Hallelujah!

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August 1, 2014

Posted on August 3, 2014 by jgarrott

Jeremiah 12:5 “If you have raced with men on foot
and they have worn you out,
how can you compete with horses?
If you stumble in safe country,
how will you manage in the thickets by the Jordan?”

This was not the answer Jeremiah was looking for! God knows what we are going to face in the future, so he allows various “training exercises” to prepare us for that future. The Bill Gaither song, The Longer I Serve Him, is true enough, but it is also true that the trials also have a way of escalating. God indeed has “perfect rest” planned and promised for us, but that’s not in this life. My mother had a way of praying for people in difficulties: “Lord, keep them from unnecessary pain.” Sometimes pain is a blessing, because it can be a valuable diagnostic tool, or even an indication that a problem is being dealt with. Sometimes God saves us out of our circumstances, but more often He saves us in our circumstances or even through them. We are quick to complain about all sorts of things. Jeremiah was complaining about perceived injustice, because people who were mocking God seemed to have it much easier than he did. We know from the whole of the Bible that’s no big deal, because it’s strictly temporary. God went on to tell Jeremiah that his own relatives would betray him and act as his enemies, and that would be much harder to deal with than some rich jerk. We live in a fallen world, and stuff certainly happens. However, when our hearts are at rest in Christ, we can deal with it all and still praise God, with peace and joy.

This of course brings me back to what the Lord said to me personally, to “rest, relax, and rejoice.” He has also reminded me of this verse numbers of times. I can only respond with a wry grin and a “Yes, Sir.” Looking back over my life I can certainly see how God has used one experience to prepare me for another. I don’t know my future in this life any more than anyone else does, but I do know that God is preparing and has prepared me for it, and by His grace I’ll get through it with the joy of seeing Him at work.

Father, thank You for all You do in my life. Recent events have been wearing, but they are certainly minor compared to what brothers and sisters in Christ are experiencing in other parts of the world. Hearing that testimony yesterday via the Internet of the girl who saw her father and brother killed in front of her because they would not renounce Christ was a good reminder. Help me walk in daily obedience, not complaining but giving You the thanks, praise, and obedience You deserve, because Your plans are always perfect, whatever they look like to me in the short run. Thank You. Praise God!

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July 31, 2014

Posted on August 1, 2014 by jgarrott

Jeremiah 9:23-24 This is what the Lord says:
“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.”

This important statement by God, recorded by Jeremiah, was quoted by Paul in 1 Corinthians 1:31 and 2 Corinthians 10:17. We human beings have a strong tendency/desire to boast. I understand that in some cultures it’s been developed into an art form! Japanese society is rather the opposite, to the point that parents seldom, if ever, praise their children to their faces, but the desire to boast is still there. The things listed here – wisdom, physical strength, wealth – are not bad things at all, but if we trust in them rather than in the Lord who gives them to us, we get into real trouble. That’s really what this is talking about. At the end of his life Paul was able to boast, quite rightly, that “I know whom I have believed, and am persuaded that He is able to keep that which I have committed unto Him against that day.” (2 Timothy 1:12) Knowing God is a treasure beyond any material wealth, strength beyond any human capacity, and access to perfect wisdom that puts to shame the amassed wisdom of mankind. It is only when we grasp that truth that we get our goals and priorities straight.

I had the immense advantage of being raised by parents who had this understand of life. My father in particular had much of which he could have boasted, and was recognized for some of it by an award from the Emperor of Japan, dated the day of his death. However, I can’t recall a single time I ever heard him boast. I wish I could say the same about myself! Looking back over my life, I’d say that most boasting really comes from a sense of insecurity that makes you want to inflate yourself. The better we understand that God loves us exactly as we are, even as He desires and encourages us to do better with the gifts and opportunities He has provided, the less we will need to “strut our stuff” in front of others. I think I can honestly join Paul in his affirmation in 2 Timothy 1:12, and it gives me great peace. I will face various other challenges as I live on this earth, on top of all I have come through to this point, but I know that the God who has brought me this far will indeed carry me safely to the end. It is never a matter of what I can do, because my effort is never enough, but of what God can and will do in and through me, for the blessing of others and for His glory.

Father, thank You for Your amazing patience and faithfulness. Thank You for my brother who has been given a death sentence by the doctors, yet has peace and even joy. His time of knowing You has been much shorter than mine, but He’s getting an intensive course in it! I pray for him and for all under my care, that they would fix their eyes and hearts on You indeed, making You their highest value and goal so that their hearts may be open to all You want to pour into and through them. I pray for those who are leaving today to return to the US. May they continue to grow, not only in their knowledge of You but in their application of what You have spoken to them, that they may have the joy of seeing You use them for Your glory. Thank You. Praise God!

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July 30, 2014

Posted on August 1, 2014 by jgarrott

Jeremiah 4:2 “If in a truthful, just and righteous way
you swear, ‘As surely as the Lord lives,’
then the nations will be blessed by him
and in him they will glory.”

This is a fascinating verse. It directly connects the faithfulness of Israel to the blessing of the nations, really to their salvation. When people who claim to belong to God, either Jews or Christians, fail to live appropriately to that claim, then those around them disregard them and the God they claim to serve. However, when they are living in an honest, active relationship to God, then those around them take notice and desire such a relationship themselves. Verbal evangelism is very necessary for many reasons, but if it isn’t backed up by an active relationship with a living God, then it is “a noisy gong or a clanging cymbal,” to borrow Paul’s phrase. (1 Corinthians 13:1) People look at our lives, and rightly so. Privacy is important, but it isn’t an excuse for inconsistency between your “public face” and “private face.” Japanese culture has actually formalized that difference, with expressions that mean, literally, “what you set up in front of people” and “your true root.” Sometimes it takes time even for Christians to understand that’s not a Biblical way to live. Some of Jesus’ harshest words were for hypocrites, but hypocrisy can be hard to recognize when it’s institutionalized. We all practice hypocrisy to some extent, and the biggest danger is in failing to recognize that we’re doing it. We don’t need to go around dumping on people because “that’s the way I feel,” but we do need to recognize and live out the love of God. “Political correctness” has it’s roots in not wanting to offend, but it has been twisted to be, in many cases, total hypocrisy, and can sometimes block the truth from being expressed all together.

I have recognized the dangers of hypocrisy all my life, but at the same time I am very aware of the truth in the saying, “It’s easier to act your way to feeling right than to feel your way to acting right.” This whole issue isn’t a matter of feelings, but of obedience to God. I was a drama major in college, so I know a few things about acting! A major reason for the moral degradation in Hollywood is that people are in romantic roles with people who aren’t their spouses, and they start “acting” that way even when they aren’t on the set. As a pastor I am an example and role model to many, so I’d better be sure my life is consistent! If I desire that people receive the truth of God that I speak (and I certainly do) then I had better be living it out myself.

Father, You know better than I do that I have neither the moral nor the physical strength in myself to be fully obedient to Your Word, but You do. Thank You that I can indeed do it all through Christ who strengthens me. (Philippians 4:13) Help me be increasingly effective in communicating Your truth, so that the lies of the devil may be torn down and people set free, for their salvation and Your glory. Thank You. Hallelujah!

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