June 2, 2014

Posted on June 5, 2014 by jgarrott

Proverbs 2:21-22 For the upright will live in the land,
and the blameless will remain in it;
but the wicked will be cut off from the land,
and the unfaithful will be torn from it.

It is very interesting to me how often the Bible talks about honesty. (The Japanese says “honest” where the NIV says “upright” in verse 21.) Honesty seems to be in increasingly short supply, particularly in the public realm. We all have a basic desire for honesty, to be able to take people at their word, but any more, part of “growing up” has become learning to be skeptical of what others say. The irony is, we desire others to be honest with us, yet we make excuses for “bending the truth” ourselves. Human beings are, to use an old expression, “a piece of work!” The Bible gives so many reasons for being honest that I couldn’t begin to list them all. However, underlying them all is the fact that God never lies, and we are called to be like Him. (Matthew 5:48) We are explicitly told that Jesus never lied, (1 Peter 2:22) and we are being transformed into His likeness. (2 Corinthians 3:18) That said, what does it mean to be honest? That might seem to be an odd question, but we’ve got to remember that the devil is the father of lies, (John 8:44) and he disguises even the fact that he’s lying. To me, honesty is a heart attitude of not misleading. It is quite possible to mislead without saying anything that is demonstrably untrue; the government does that sort of thing all the time. I have no argument whatsoever with fiction that is presented as fiction. However, we are presented with mixtures all the time. The most important thing about all of this is to be honest before God. After all, it does no good to try to deceive Him! Honestly acknowledging our sins and mistakes is foundational to a right relationship with Him. If we will do that, we will find it easier and easier to be honest in all our interactions with everyone.

As I am frequently reminded, I was raised by a father who held absolute honesty as one of his foundational principles. What a blessing! I have held to that for many years now myself, but it took me quite a while to get around to it. The “white lie” is always a temptation. That doesn’t mean I’m always to say everything I know; that can damage relationships needlessly, besides turning me into a bore. However, I am very thankful to have a reputation for honesty. One area where I particularly need to be careful is in making promises to do things. I need to say, “I’ll try,” or “I hope to,” much more often, because all too often I simply forget! James closes his letter with a brief discourse on this. (James 4:13-17) I am to recognize my own frailty, and base my honesty not on what I can do but on God, who never fails.

Father, thank You for Your absolute faithfulness. Thank You that Your promises never fail. Help me fulfill the conditions so that I may walk in the benefits, manifesting Your grace for Your glory. Thank You. Praise God!

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June 1, 2014

Posted on June 4, 2014 by jgarrott

Proverbs 2:4-5 and if you look for it as for silver
and search for it as for hidden treasure,
then you will understand the fear of the Lord
and find the knowledge of God.

There is a difference between wisdom and knowledge, and for that matter, between wisdom and intelligence. You could say that knowledge is information, intelligence is the ability to gather, store, and organize it, but wisdom is knowing what to do with it all. There are countless examples throughout history of people who had great intelligence and amassed considerable knowledge, but lacked the wisdom to use it rightly. Nazi scientists come to mind, for example. We still use data they amassed, because no one in their right mind would repeat their heartless experiments on such things as how much blood can be drained from a person before their heart stops, or how long someone can survive in frigid water. Even when it isn’t sociopathic, intelligence by itself does not equal wisdom. If we seek knowledge without seeking wisdom, we will end up like Solomon in Ecclesiastes, empty and bitter for all our amassed information. That’s a major issue today, as we have entered the “Information Age.” The amount of information available is totally beyond human ability to assimilate, yet it is electronically at our fingertips. That’s why it’s vitally important that we seek wisdom: knowledge is available to anybody. As this passage says, we need to seek wisdom. If we will do so in honesty, then we will understand human limitations and grasp the fear of the Lord, who created it all and who alone transcends it all. It is only when we get it through our heads that He is God, the Creator, that we can get to know Him, not as a philosophical abstract but in personal intimacy.

This is very close to home for me. I’ve always had a high IQ, which generally made school easy and relationships hard. When I was in the 10th grade I had a fascination with torture, and even gave a presentation on the subject in English class, to the horror of my classmates. I could have gone the way of the Nazi scientists, but God in His mercy kept me from it. At the same time that I was interested in torture, I had considerable knowledge of the Bible, having already read through it completely. I know too well that knowledge doesn’t equal wisdom! I’ve discovered over the years why the first and second commandments (Matthew 22:37-39) both focus on love, not knowledge. Paul expressed it this way in 1 Corinthians 8:1. “Knowledge puffs up, but love builds up.” Without the love of God operative in my life, no amount of intelligence and knowledge is going to do me, or anyone else, any real good in the long run. I am to seek Him, and lead others to do likewise, because that is true wisdom.

Father, thank You for Your overwhelming grace toward me. When I think back over my life I can see so many times when I could have gone horribly wrong, as well as many times when I went somewhat wrong. Thank You for Your protection and Your correction. May I walk in the wisdom of fellowship with You, allowing Your grace and love to flow through me to those around me, drawing them to You for their salvation and Your glory. Thank You. Praise God!

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May 31, 2014

Posted on June 4, 2014 by jgarrott

Psalm 145:18 The Lord is near to all who call on him,
to all who call on him in truth.

This Psalm is significant in that David, a king, starts out by calling God his King, but the whole rest of the Psalm makes it clear why David felt that way, and nowhere more than in this verse. David cried out to the Lord many times, and we are blessed that God made David a poet so that he recorded a number of those prayers. This verse expresses David’s experience, and therefore his testimony. Sometimes people make a show of crying out to God, but their heart isn’t in it because it isn’t backed by faith. That’s why David specifies, “in truth.” Jesus too gave strong warnings to those who said the right things but without real faith or follow-through. (Luke 6:46) However, David’s focus isn’t on those who don’t get the desired results because they have the wrong motives, but rather on God who is totally faithful. Some might read this Psalm and think it was a collection of platitudes, but for David, every statement had been tested and found true. This is indeed the “heritage of the saints,” (Psalm 61:5 and many, many more) and it is more than worth celebrating!

Psalm 16:6 was a favorite verse of my father, and he passed on that “goodly heritage” redoubled. The question for me then becomes how well I am making use of that heritage, and how well I am passing it on. Receiving a material inheritance isn’t a bad thing, but receiving a rich spiritual inheritance is far better! Every believer has spiritual riches that God has equipped them to pass on, but how they do it is always a matter of personal obedience. David passed on a great deal through his Psalms, but he didn’t do a very good job with his own children, and he and they suffered for it. Lately I’ve been able to bless many through my blog, but the question remains of how effective I’m being with those to whom I relate face-to-face. I need to cry out to God in truth myself, because experience tells me there’s no way I can be effective in my own strength and wisdom. It’s just as Jesus said: “Apart from me you can do nothing.” (John 15:5) However, experience has also taught me that every bit of the Bible is true, and that God can and will use even me to do His will, if I will be available. That’s my desire, so I’ve got to stay available!

Father, thank You for the ministry opportunity last night. That person wasn’t on our schedule, but thank You for the perfect timing of their showing up, and for what You did while they were here. They were saying that You haven’t answered their prayers, but then they admitted to hardly opening their Bible. We are so foolish! I pray that every believer in this church – and everyone reading my blog, for that matter – would discover the joy not only of prayer to You, but also of hearing from You regularly through Your Word, so that Your children may be built up indeed as Your disciples, Your witnesses, for Your glory. Thank You. Hallelujah!

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May 30, 2014

Posted on May 31, 2014 by jgarrott

Psalm 141:3 Set a guard over my mouth, O Lord;
keep watch over the door of my lips.

This is a remarkable prayer, and one that brings to mind James 3, which talks at some length about the power and danger of the tongue. We have all said things we regretted the moment they left our lips, and we have all been wounded by words spoken by others. There is great wisdom in praying this prayer along with David! At the same time, words are the foundation of our communication on all levels, so we can’t just “not speak.” I do a lot of marriage counseling, and it is my observation that marriages are hurt at least as much by what fails to be said as by what is said. We expect others to understand and accept us when we haven’t expressed who we are on the inside, and what we really want. Sometimes international marriages succeed precisely because both partners realize that communication is a problem, and needs to be worked at. When people share a native language, often they presume too much and take understanding for granted, when it is actually something of a miracle when any two human beings achieve deep communication! However, the situation is not hopeless, because God is a God of grace. He will enable real communication, but we need to recognize the risks and seek His help, both in speaking and listening. That of course applies to our communication with Him as well as our communication with each other. We have the promise of the help of the Holy Spirit in prayer, (Romans 8:26) and we need to ask for that same help in other communication as well, so that His truth, grace, and love may flow through us unhindered.

I realized years ago that I’m a professional talker/communicator, as a pastor, counselor, and teacher. That makes David’s prayer all the more vital for me! Words come easily, and the temptation is to let the words take over, so to speak, and not really engage my heart and mind. That’s dangerous! My mouth has gotten me into all sorts of messes over the years. At the same time, even after 45 years of marriage, I have to be intentional in understanding my wife, because of differing male/female speech patterns. At all times in every situation I need to seek to speak God’s truth in God’s love, or the results will not be as He and I desire. That is of course especially true when I am preaching or counseling, but it is actually true at all times. This morning I expect to be preparing sermon notes and buying gasoline. I am to be God’s mouthpiece in both situations, letting His love flow through me as He chooses, to destroy the lies of the enemy and set people free. However, that will happen only to the degree I am committed and submitted to my Lord and Savior Jesus Christ.

Father, thank You for this reminder. I do ask for Your anointing as I prepare sermon notes now, and I pray that anointing would continue throughout the day in my every interaction. May my words be Your words, spoken or written, to work Your will in the physical and spiritual realms, for Your glory. Thank You. Hallelujah!

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May 29, 2014

Posted on May 31, 2014 by jgarrott

Psalm 140:12-13 I know that the Lord secures justice for the poor
and upholds the cause of the needy.
Surely the righteous will praise your name
and the upright will live before you.

I would doubt very much that Psalm 140 is on anyone’s list of favorite Scriptures! However, it’s attributed to David, and as such is an indication of how much opposition he experienced. The things he prays in this Psalm would hardly be “politically correct” today, but they are certainly honest. It is certainly worth noting that he ends his rant this way, reminding himself of God’s character. That’s a very good thing for anyone to do when circumstances have put their emotions into turmoil. He starts these last two verses with “I know” and “Surely,” (or “Truly,”) getting past emotions to objective fact. That’s always a good idea. Emotions, even negative ones, are a gift from God, and Jesus experienced them all. However, they aren’t a reliable guide for action. Jesus’ emotion in the Garden of Gethsemane was so intense that He sweat blood, (Luke 22:44) but He still acted on the objective reality that the Father’s plan was right and to be followed. That’s how we need to be.

I’ve been given a comparatively objective, analytical mind, but that certainly doesn’t mean I don’t get whipped around by emotions sometimes. Just yesterday I had a brief storm, figuratively speaking, over illogical bureaucracy. I had to remind myself that I can’t see the end of things from my perspective, and I’ve got to trust God who has it all in control. The path and the scenery might not be what I would choose, but I will always end up in the right place. Problems come when I allow my emotions to make me rebel against God and/or strike out against people. Like David, I need to let God be in charge of justice. As a pastor, I not only need to live this out myself, I need to communicate it clearly to those in my care. Revenge is a cherished human tradition, and defensiveness is a natural response to perceived attack. I need to trust God enough to get above/beyond those myself, and so teach others to do likewise.

Father, thank You not only for Your grace toward me, but also for Your grace toward those whom I see as getting in my way. Help me understand on every level that we are all equally in need of Your grace, and allow that grace to flow through me for the blessing of many, and for Your glory. Thank You. Praise God!

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May 28, 2014

Posted on May 29, 2014 by jgarrott

Psalm 132:9, 16 “May your priests be clothed with righteousness;
may your saints sing for joy.”
“I will clothe her priests with salvation,
and her saints will ever sing for joy.”

These two verses are very similar, but they have two differences. First, verse 9 is a prayer, asking God to cause things to be this way, and verse 16 is God’s response as to how things will be. The second difference is that in verse 9, the request is that the priests be clothed in righteousness, while in verse 16 the response is that they will be clothed in salvation. In either case, the saints sing for joy! As a request, verse 9 makes a lot of sense, because there was quite a history of unrighteous priests, going back to the sons of Eli in 1 Samuel 2, and even to Nadab and Abihu, two of Aaron’s sons, in Leviticus 10:1-2. If the believers are to sing for joy, then the religious leaders must be righteous. However, when God responds to this prayer, He doesn’t say righteousness, but rather salvation. This is one of many times the Old Testament foreshadows salvation by grace through faith, which is the central point of the New Testament. (Ephesians 2:8-10) No one is sufficiently righteous in themselves, but God has made perfect righteousness available through the blood of Jesus Christ His Son, and that is salvation indeed. Sadly, there are leaders who call themselves Christian who aren’t clothed in salvation by grace through faith. That’s tragic, and we are to pray for their repentance and faith. One thing to remember when choosing spiritual leaders is that those who are clothed in salvation are indeed going to be living righteously, just as Jesus said that people are known by their fruit. (Matthew 7:15-20) We cannot be saved by our own righteousness, but when we are saved, we will be committed to living out the righteousness of Christ.

Since I am a pastor/spiritual leader, I need to be very careful how I am clothed! I honestly desire that every believer in my care sing for joy in the Lord, but for that to happen I must be clothed in salvation, which will result in righteousness. I must never think that my position exempts me from anything, and most especially from walking in the righteousness of Christ. “What Would Jesus Do” was a fad catch phrase, but the reality behind it is that I must live each day as His representative, and not say or do things that would dishonor Him. I can’t manage that in my own strength and wisdom, but He can do it through me, so that must be my desire and goal. There is no substitute for righteousness.

Father, You know my weaknesses even better than I do. Thank You for how You continue to work on them. These days sins of omission are more frequent than sins of commission, but sin is sin in either case. Thank You for the things You’ve enabled me to take care of the past couple of days that I had been putting off. That’s a big weight off of me. Help me “travel light” all the time, not carrying around anything that isn’t of You, but repenting the moment You show me I’m in the wrong, so that the saints may indeed sing for joy, for Your glory. Thank You. Praise God!

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May 27, 2014

Posted on May 29, 2014 by jgarrott

Psalm 125:2 As the mountains surround Jerusalem,
so the Lord surrounds his people
both now and forevermore.

We’re back to the theme of boundaries, which I preached on this past Sunday. However, this is more like a defensive perimeter than a limitation. When we are abiding in Christ, then nothing can reach us. (Psalm 91:9-10) That is true, yet it is also true that in this world we will have trouble. (John 16:33) This is the tension of living as spiritual beings in a material universe, declared righteous by the blood of Christ yet dealing with sin and repentance on a daily basis. We have neither the wisdom nor the strength to navigate this minefield successfully on our own, so we’ve got to walk in constant awareness of our dependence on God. Going back to this verse, people living in Jerusalem probably aren’t constantly aware of the mountains around them, but that doesn’t mean the mountains aren’t there. In the same way, we often aren’t aware of God around us, but that doesn’t mean He isn’t there. The point is to remember, and walk in grateful obedience. Part of our problem is that we don’t realize how bad things would be without God’s protection. When we take peace and prosperity for granted we lose immeasurably. One reason God allows trials in our lives is to teach us how good we really have it!

This certainly applies to me. I am incredibly blessed, yet I tend to take it for granted and get anxious about little details, complaining about one thing or another. I have no room for conceit, but need to seek and receive God’s direction and strength at every turn. That’s not a bad situation to be in! I need to remember at all times that He is indeed surrounding me as my hedge of protection, and rest, relax, and rejoice in Him.

Father, I feel strangely under attack at this point. My sleep is being interfered with, I have aches and pains I’m not used to, and I’m careless about things that have never been an issue before. Thank You. Help me receive everything as something You are going to use for my blessing and Your glory, (Romans 8:28) not allowing anything to distract me from walking in grateful obedience. I will interact with many different people today. Help me be Your agent to each of them, lifting Christ up so that they may be drawn to Him (John 12:32) for their salvation and Your glory. Thank You. Praise God!

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May 26, 2014

Posted on May 27, 2014 by jgarrott

Psalm 119:165 Great peace have they who love your law,
and nothing can make them stumble.

There are two things here: peace and a lack of stumbling. Both are considered desirable by just about everyone, but they share a common condition: loving God’s Word/law. When we rebel against what we know God has said, we certainly don’t have much peace and we’re very likely to stumble. People seek to gain peace in all sorts of ways, but true peace starts with a knowledge of who God is and a commitment to follow Him. Likewise, there are countless things in life to make us stumble, and the only sure guidebook we have through this minefield is God’s Word. It’s not at all that believers are perfect, but rather that by grace these things are available to them. This is also a real test of the practicality of our faith, because “loving God’s law” doesn’t mean putting the Bible in a place of honor on the coffee table, it means putting it to work in our lives. In every discussion of the Bible I keep coming back to James 1:22, because it is all too easy to deceive ourselves into thinking we love God’s Word when in reality we are ignoring it. We aren’t to honor the physical book without taking it into our hearts and minds to apply it in every area of our lives.

I’m reminded of something my seminary professor grandfather, W. O. Carver, often asked his students: “How big is your Bible?” They would generally insist that their Bible was the same size as his, if not larger, but then he would clarify: “No, I mean, how much of it is in your heart?” That, after all, is the Bible that counts. As came up a week ago, it’s when we store up God’s word in our hearts that it can protect us from sin, which could also be called stumbling. I have been familiar intellectually with the Bible most of my life, not only having read it through dozens of times but also being familiar with the various discussions of authorship, provenance, textual criticism and the like. However, it is only when I receive it into my heart as the Word of God that it provides all the benefits it claims for itself. Yes, fallible human beings were greatly involved in the process of getting the Bible to us as it is today, but they were guided, directed, and protected by omnipotent God, and that fact transcends all the human frailty in the process. I am not to worship the book, but the God who caused it to be written. At the same time, I am to receive and transmit it as His Word. If I will do that, it will not “return to Him void.” (Isaiah 55:11)

Father, thank You for the immense spiritual heritage You have provided for me. I certainly didn’t earn any of it, because I had no choice as to my ancestors. Help me indeed love You and Your Word, applying it fully in every situation, so that Your will may be done in and through me for Your glory. Thank You. Praise God!

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May 25, 2014

Posted on May 25, 2014 by jgarrott

Psalm 119:140 Your promises have been thoroughly tested,
and your servant loves them.

Various words are used throughout Psalm 119 to indicate what today we would lump together as the Bible, and reading various translations gives the impression that which word is used in a particular verse is somewhat a matter of the translator’s whim. Here, just a quick check yields promises, words, and sayings, all in both singular and plural, depending in the translation. However, the point still comes across, and that point is that what God has said has stood the test of time, and thus is fully trustworthy. We have all sorts of reasons to read the Bible! Reading through Psalm 119 leaves no question that the Psalmist indeed loved God’s Word, and valued it above everything else. That is indeed admirable, but even here, we have to be careful not to fall into what has been called bibliolatry: worshiping the Bible itself. I have been in churches where it could have been said that their “Trinity” was Father, Son, and Holy Bible. The Bible is the record of what God has said, and is a unique resource and authority, but it is ultimately a tool for our access and obedience to the One who caused it to be written. It is sometimes described as a “love letter” from God to us. Carrying that analogy, imagine receiving a love letter and then caring more about the letter than the person who sent it. God speaks to us through the Bible, but we must never forget that He is the one speaking, and give Him our total devotion.

This certainly applies to me. I grew up in a home that loved God and His Word, and read through the Bible for the first time before I was a teenager. In recent years I have been described by one of my church members as a “biblioholic,” addicted to the Bible. I was moved to tears of gratitude to God for that, because the man who said it was a recovered alcoholic, and as he said, he knew what addiction looked like. I am in no way ashamed of my addiction to the Word, but I must be careful that I don’t place the words above the Speaker. I hear from the Lord most often through reading the Bible, but I must not close my heart to hearing from Him however He chooses to speak. I know that He will never contradict the Bible. Just recently I was given a book that seemed very spiritual and admirable, but it didn’t take more than a cursory look through it to see that it was twisting truth just enough to make it a lie. Such discernment is a clear benefit of being as familiar with the Bible as I am! That should give me the assurance to be able to receive whatever God wants to say through me through whatever channel. However He speaks, I must be careful to apply it in real live obedience, or I am not being faithful myself.

Father, thank You for the Bible, for caring enough to cause people to write down what You were saying. Thank You even more for wanting fellowship with us Your children, just as You were a Friend to Abraham long before there was a written Bible. Help me perform Your Word out of intimacy with You, so that many may be drawn into Your family, for their salvation and Your glory. Thank You. Hallelujah!

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May 24, 2014

Posted on May 25, 2014 by jgarrott

Psalm 119:105 Your word is a lamp to my feet
and a light for my path.

As long as I’ve had this verse memorized and as many times as I’ve written on it, I thought I’d give it a pass this time, but the Lord just gave me fresh insight. We can have illumination for the way we need to go, but it’s still up to us to step out in the direction that is indicated. The thing is, the Bible illuminates the “straight and narrow,” and all too often we don’t want to go that way. Likewise, sometimes the path indicated is a pretty steep climb, and we just sit there. As James said so famously, we need to do what the Bible tells us, or otherwise we’re just deceiving ourselves. (James 1:22) It’s an interesting phenomenon that once we commit to moving forward God’s direction we discover our way is well lit, however dark it seemed before. As long as we are wavering in our obedience, things seem foggy at best. That may be what David meant when he said, “In your light we see light.” (Psalm 36:9) We have to accept the light God gives and act on it before we get more. Too often we agonize over not being able to see what to do next year, or even next week, when we haven’t done what we can see to do today. God is totally faithful, but we have to walk in trusting obedience if we are to experience the fullness of that faithfulness.

Wow. That’s a strong Word I didn’t expect when I turned to this very familiar passage. People all around me are struggling with this particular issue. I’ve tried to help some of them understand the dynamics involved, but they can be very slow to grasp it. However, I can’t run around pointing fingers. Right now there are things that I have failed to follow through and do, even though I know they are things God wants of me. Excuses don’t cut it! I too have to be faithful to follow the light I am given, so that I may continually walk in more. As John said, if I walk in the light as He is in the light, then I will live the life that He desires for me, which I know is the very best possible. (1 John 1:7) If I am to lead others to walk in the light I need to be doing so myself.

Father, thank You for Your beautiful guidance. Thank You for the physical guidance for the brief trip of the past couple of days. Thank You for the spiritual guidance to do hospital visitation after supper last night. Thank You for the intellectual guidance as Cathy is planning my photo show for August. Thank You for how You have guided Cathy and me over the past 45 years, though I haven’t always been very responsive to that guidance. As we celebrate our anniversary today, may we commit ever more firmly to following Your guidance, in close fellowship with You and with each other, for Your glory. Thank You. Praise God!

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