May 13, 2014

Posted on May 16, 2014 by jgarrott

Psalm 97:11-12 Light is shed upon the righteous
and joy on the upright in heart.
Rejoice in the Lord, you who are righteous,
and praise his holy name.

I really like the turn of phrase in the Japanese for verse 11: “Light is sown like seed upon the righteous.” That’s much more evocative that “shed!” The specific image of seed brings up all sorts of connections. In the first place, seed starts out small, but then it grows. Likewise, it starts out looking nothing like the mature plant. Both of those could apply to the light and joy that are supplied to the righteous. Sometimes we don’t even recognize the light God is giving us, and mistake it for something else. It is when we receive it as from God that it grows and illuminates our hearts and lives. The same may be said of God’s joy. That’s why it’s appropriate that verse 12 is in the form of a command, because often we must choose to receive what God provides. We’ve all seen people who never seemed to do anything bad, yet they were as sour as an unripe lemon. On one level they might be righteous, but they haven’t received the light and joy God has for them. That’s tragic! Not only are they missing out on so much, they are failing to be the testimony of the blessings of God that that He intends them to be. When we focus on the “dark” areas of our lives, we often miss the light that God has sown. When we do recognize the light, it grows exponentially, and brings with it joy that the world cannot understand. It is those who walk in that light and joy who are the effective witnesses God calls us to be.

Thinking about this, my wife comes to mind. She has a medical “rap sheet” a mile long, yet she is usually upbeat and is always blessing others. That’s why people love to be around her. Sometimes it gets right inconvenient how much people want to be around her! I would be very happy for her to have far fewer medical problems, but I see how God is glorified by her attitude in those problems. She is one who takes what God sows in her and tends and nurtures it so that it grows magnificently. She’s always had something of a “black thumb” when it came to house plants, but she’s a very good gardener of what God sows in her heart. In am incredibly blessed and very grateful to have her as my partner, and I need to continue to learn from God through her, to be a better “soul gardener” myself!

Father, thank You for this clear image. Thank You indeed for my wife. Physical discomfort robbed her of sleep last night, and she has a full day ahead of her today. I ask You to guide and support her, replacing her strength with Yours. Give her wisdom to cooperate with that on every level. I pray that she would be Your agent to each person whom she is with today, so that they may not only be drawn to her, as I know they are, but to You through her, for their salvation and Your glory. Thank You. Praise God!

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May 12, 2014

Posted on May 13, 2014 by jgarrott

Psalm 94:9 Does he who implanted the ear not hear?
Does he who formed the eye not see?

This is a major reason people try to take refuge in atheism. They are “weirded out” by the thought that God sees and hears everything. This is actually a comfort to those who seek to please God and rely on Him, but it is a very uncomfortable concept for anyone who is in rebellion against God. However, what we think about things doesn’t change reality. The thing is, God is not only absolutely knowing and absolutely powerful, He is also absolutely holy, absolutely just, (as in justice) and absolutely loving. That’s why He is to be feared, as the Old Testament says so many times. These days we try to seize on the last part, loving, and tend to forget that He is also holy and just. That is dangerous! We are indeed made righteous by faith and not works, but we dishonor God if we act as though what we do doesn’t matter. He sees not only our outward actions, but also the thoughts and intents of our hearts. (Hebrews 4:12) That’s why we need to “take every thought captive to make it obedient to Christ,” (2 Corinthians 10:5) because thoughts precede actions, and God sees them both. Daydreaming about sin is a dangerous activity indeed! When we have a healthy fear of God (which is necessary for an accurate love for God) then we will be quick to repent, as soon as we realize we have been less than faithful. Such a heart is tender toward Him and able to have sweet fellowship with Him that is beyond the imagination of those who are rebellious.

I can’t remember when I haven’t had an understanding of God’s omniscience, but I can’t say that’s kept me from deliberate sin. How foolish! By God’s grace I have tasted real fellowship with Him, and that has made me hungry for more, and I don’t want anything that will get in the way of that. It is indeed a comfort that God sees everything and that I can leave “payback” in His hands. (Romans 12:19) I am to seek to keep God in my awareness as much as I am in His (though doing it completely is impossible) and so live a life pleasing to Him. If I will do that, He will use me for His purposes and I will receive and experience blessings far beyond anything this world could ever imagine, much less provide.

Father, thank You for the miracle of knowing You. You didn’t have to make it possible, but You created us for fellowship with You. Thank You for that choice on Your part. Help me choose fellowship with You over anything and everything else, and lead others into that same choice, so that Your house may be full (Luke 14:23) for Your pleasure and glory. Thank You. Praise God!

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May 11, 2014

Posted on May 13, 2014 by jgarrott

Psalm 89:8 O Lord God Almighty, who is like you?
You are mighty, O Lord, and your faithfulness surrounds you.

It’s interesting that “Ethan the Ezrahite” doesn’t seem to have that firm a grasp on the concept of monotheism, yet his Psalm has long been accepted as part of the Bible, and is even recognized as a Messianic prophecy (verses 26-27). At least he did see Yahweh as the Creator, and greater than any other potentially divine being. The point is that our theology doesn’t have to be perfect in order to worship God. We tend to set up our systems and exclude whoever doesn’t check all the right boxes, but God doesn’t work that way. God is interested in our hearts far more than in our theology. That’s why it is very foolish to go around insisting that such a person is saved and such a person is not saved. I am no universalist, but I do believe that there are at least some people in genuinely heretical sects who are going to wind up in heaven because their fundamental faith is in Jesus Christ, whatever other junk might be cluttering up their understanding. On the other hand, I believe there are some who are theologically “pure” who will be excluded. Jesus was clear on that point in Matthew 7:21-23, and again in the story of the sheep and the goats in Matthew 25:31-46. What we believe is indeed very important, but what is most important is a heart that is tender toward God.

I have seen more than enough division on the basis of theological shibboleths, and I believe God’s heart is grieved by such things. There are theological errors in every denomination, though God is the only one who knows precisely what they all are. God obviously values diversity, as Paul expressed at length in 1 Corinthians 12, but what really matters is love, as he went on to make clear in 1 Corinthians 13. When Jesus was asked to rank the commandments, He focused right in on love for God as being most important, and added love for our fellow human beings as right up there with that. (Matthew 22:36-40) I have seen love thrown out the window too many times! That does not change the reality that Jesus is the only way to the Father, (John 14:6) and that there is no other way to salvation (Acts 4:12). I am to be completely unwavering in proclaiming Christ, but I must do so in love, for God and for those whom He has created, or I will be in danger of preaching empty religion instead of life. I am not to turn a blind eye to things that are in violation of the Bible, particularly in areas of morality, but I am not to set up tests of “doctrinal purity,” in my mind or in my practice. I’ve got to remember that everyone who loves God and trusts in Jesus is my brother or sister, and let God sort it all out.

Father, thank You for the various things You have led me through to bring me to this understanding, including the times I have been the one excluded. Help me release it all into Your hands. Help me love You and love my neighbor as You desire and intend, so that as many as possible may be brought into Your family and we be one indeed, even as Jesus prayed, (John 17:20-21) for Your glory. Thank You. Hallelujah!

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May 10, 2014

Posted on May 11, 2014 by jgarrott

Psalm 85:13 Righteousness goes before him
and prepares the way for his steps.

Righteousness, that is, right living, is inextricably connected with God and a good relationship with Him. The Japanese translates the second half of this verse as, “Righteousness takes the Lord’s footprints as a road.” That seems slightly incongruent with the first half, that says righteousness goes before the Lord, but the connection between the Lord and righteousness is inescapable. I recently heard a very thought-provoking message over the Internet that talked about the relationship of righteousness to salvation. We are saved by grace through faith, without question, (Ephesians 2:8-9) but someone who is saved is going to live righteously, with increasing consistency. (1 John 5:18) My grandfather called the lie that is currently referred to as “hyper grace” as “Into bliss and out of blister.” In other words, it’s the idea that if we say a few choice words we are given a ticket to heaven and nothing else matters. That position can indeed be “proof texted,” but it ignores the rest of the Bible. We cannot earn our salvation, but salvation calls for a level of commitment, of obedience to God, that is ignored or even denied by some. We are commanded to love God and love our neighbors, (Matthew 22:37-40) and Jesus made it perfectly clear that loving Him means obedience to Him. (John 14:21, 23) One of the attractions of heaven is that there, we will finally be able to obey God perfectly, but the desire and the intent should certainly be present from the moment of salvation. Life on this earth is training in letting go of everything that doesn’t conform to Christ and taking hold of everything we have been given in Christ. As C. S. Lewis said, we all have some wrong ideas as to what those two things involve, but if that is our heart’s desire, the Holy Spirit will lead us with perfect faithfulness.

My life is certainly evidence that this is a process, and not digital (either on or off). I declared my love for Jesus at a very young age, well before I was baptized, but I have walked in pride and self-love more than I like to think about. It is encouraging and comforting to see that I have grown, and continue to grow, in consistency in my obedience to Christ, but that doesn’t mean I don’t still slip up at times. I have no high horse from which to look down on anyone! I am to be an example to the believers, (1 Corinthians 11:1) certainly, but that doesn’t mean I’m a perfect one, and it gives me no license to be a dictator.

Father, thank You that You are growing me to the point that I can say with Paul that I would like everyone to be like me, with a few exceptions. (Acts 26:29) Thank You for all the reminders that I can have no pride in that. Help me so live that nothing will get in the way of others seeing Christ in and through me, drawing them to You for their salvation and Your glory. Thank You. Praise God!

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May 9, 2014

Posted on May 11, 2014 by jgarrott

Psalm 84:5 Blessed are those whose strength is in you,
who have set their hearts on pilgrimage.

The NIV does a disservice by translating this as “hearts set on pilgrimage.” The Japanese sticks much closer to the Hebrew by saying, “in whose hearts is the highway to Zion.” What is it to have in your heart a “highway to Zion?” Zion appears many time in the Psalms, sometimes representing the entire city of Jerusalem and sometimes more specifically the hill within it where David pitched a tent for the Ark of the Covenant. The point is that Zion is “the city of our God, the mountain of His holiness.” (Psalm 48:1) Going to the physical Zion is indeed a pilgrimage, but the reason for that is to draw close to God. Our bodies could go through all the motions, but if our hearts aren’t in it, we haven’t drawn close to God. Jesus had a discussion on this very point with the Samaritan woman at Jacob’s Well in John 4. She was concerned about physical locations for worship, and Jesus told her that it is heart attitude that matters. (John 4:21-24) If our hearts are set on drawing close to God, then even when we “walk through the valley of the shadow of death” (Psalm 23:4) we will have peace and even joy. This Psalmist speaks of going through “the valley of weeping” in the very next verse, and says that if our hearts are set on drawing close to God then even such a valley becomes a place of blessing. (Psalm 84:6-7)

This has been my experience, and it is something I try to communicate to others. When they are consumed with their “valley of weeping” they are unable to see the blessings, but if they will set their hearts on drawing close to God, then their perspective on everything changes. It’s not that their circumstances change necessarily, but that their perception of those circumstances changes because they see God behind, above, and through it all. As I said, I try to communicate that. However, my wisdom and persuasive skills aren’t up to the task at all. I can say the words, but I’ve got to rely on the Holy Spirit to make them penetrate to where they are needed. I’ve got to be careful I’m not just mouthing platitudes; Job experienced more than enough of that from his friends! I am to speak God’s Word in His strength so that it may work His will in the hearts of those who hear.

Father, you know who is on my heart as I write. Thank You for the evidence that they are starting to open up a little bit. May they choose to trust You more and more, genuinely fixing their eyes on You more than on their circumstances, so that they may receive the liberty that You offer, walking free of all the things that have bound them, for their blessing and Your glory. Thank You. Hallelujah!

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May 8, 2014

Posted on May 9, 2014 by jgarrott

Psalm 75:2 You say, “I choose the appointed time;
it is I who judge uprightly.”

Time is a difficult subject. Scientifically speaking it is entirely objective, yet our perception of it is highly subjective. Each of us inhabits a specific section of time, and science fiction not withstanding, time travel is entirely one direction, one second at a time. Once time is past it cannot be reclaimed or revisited, except in memory. That’s why photography was so revolutionary: it captures and preserves a moment in time. We’ve gone from bitumen to bromide to silver halides to silicon memory chips as the medium for that capture, but the magic of photography is still that of stopping time (even if it’s a motion picture). That’s why it’s so important that God is outside of time, seeing everything at a glance, from beginning to end. As He says here, He decides when things should be. Mankind has always protested God’s timing! Even the souls of martyrs in heaven say “How long, Sovereign Lord?” (Revelation 6:10) The early Church was no exception, and Peter had to remind them, and us, that “With the Lord a day is like a thousand years, and a thousand years are like a day.” (2 Peter 3:8) We will not fully grasp eternity until we are experiencing it, and speculation as to what it will be like is a waste of time. (!) The point for us is to accept the time we have been allotted and make proper use of it, as good stewards. When we agonize over God’s timing we are wasting emotional energy and run the risk of missing what God wants us to do, receive, and experience. God spoke through Jeremiah that His plans for us are to give us “hope and a future.” (Jeremiah 29:11) That should be enough for us, if we really love and trust Him.

This issue has been HUGE for me. I think I am generally seen as a patient person, but that doesn’t always reflect what is going on inside. I have tended to be very jealous of “my” time, resenting interruptions and changes of schedule. That’s hurt me more than anyone, though people around me have been injured by my reactions at times. (And yes, that’s a valid pun of sorts, though I don’t know another good way to express it.) The older I get the faster time seems to pass, but I still desire change in people and circumstances sooner than it seems to happen. There are moments when I would like to be lifted out of all of this and be translated to heaven, but I am aware of the impact that would have on those I would leave behind, and I honestly desire the best for them. I am in total agreement with what Paul said repeatedly, in 2 Corinthians 5:6-7 and Philippians 1:21-24, that he would rather leave this life and get on to the next one, but he knew he still had work to do. My task is to recognize what God has for me to do and do it in His strength, not grumbling or complaining but rejoicing in the privilege of being His agent. It’s certainly not that I don’t enjoy many things about living on this earth, so I need to trust God with all of it, both the enjoyable things and the less enjoyable things, and let His appointed times come when He has decided.

Father, thank You for Your patience with me. I complain, at least internally, about timing, and yet I have been so slow myself about growing and maturing as You have desired. Help me receive each moment from Your hands, to make the use of it that You intend, for the advancement of Your kingdom and for Your glory. Thank You. Hallelujah!

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May 7, 2014

Posted on May 9, 2014 by jgarrott

Psalm 71:17-18 Since my youth, O God, you have taught me,
and to this day I declare your marvelous deeds.
Even when I am old and gray,
do not forsake me, O God,
till I declare your power to the next generation,
your might to all who are to come.

We don’t know who wrote this Psalm, but he certainly seems to have been raised in a home that loved God. In these two verses he expresses the principle of generational transfer of faith in and knowledge of God. He himself obviously benefited from it, and he is aware of his own responsibility in this area. Any believing parent certainly wants their children to grow up loving and serving God, but so many have very little idea how to encourage that. Perhaps the majority of Christians leave religious instruction to their church, just as they leave academic instruction to the public schools. That attitude presents major problems. It’s not that those institutions are bad, (though quality varies widely) it’s that they are inadequate. Instruction of all sorts begins at home, and parents provide the foundation. Attitudes transfer! If the parents love God and are active in serving Him, as well as in expressing love to their children, then the probability that the children will desire to love God and serve Him is very high. Likewise, if the parents love learning and value it, whatever their own level of academic achievement, then it is likewise probable that their children will do well in school. The parents are also responsible for what their children are taught, either at church or at school. If the parents lay a firm foundation at home, then occasional poor teachers, either at church or at school, won’t do so much damage. However, if the parents fail to lay that foundation, there’s no telling what nonsense, or worse, might be planted in their children’s hearts and minds. This Psalmist recognized his own responsibility to communicate the right stuff the right way, and we would do well to learn from him.

This is very much the story of my life. My parents weren’t perfect, of course, but they loved God and they loved learning and they loved their children, and we benefited. With their example, I don’t think I’ve done too badly, but I made some of the same mistakes they did. Now that my children are grown and gone, I don’t have much direct input into them, or even into my grandchildren, because of physical distance. However, I have daily opportunities for input into the next spiritual generations right around me, and I am not to take those lightly. I am to testify of God’s marvelous works indeed, and of His character that inspires and underlies those works. I am to share what He has spoken to me, never in pride but in profound gratitude, so that others too may “taste and see that the Lord is good.” (Psalm 34:8)

Father, thank You for the incredible privilege of sharing knowledge of You. Help me be more and more effective at it, both to those who don’t know You yet and to those who already know You, so that Your house may be filled with disciples, (not pew warmers) for Your glory. Thank You. Praise God!

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May 6, 2014

Posted on May 7, 2014 by jgarrott

Psalm 68:5-6 A father to the fatherless, a defender of widows, is God in his holy dwelling.
God sets the lonely in families, he leads forth the prisoners with singing;
but the rebellious live in a sun-scorched land.

Families are a far bigger issue than many would like to admit. From creation they were God’s idea, and they are the foundation of society. That’s why the devil is attacking them so fiercely in these last days. There have been broken and dysfunctional families since the days of Genesis, but in recent years the very institution of marriage has come under attack, and to my knowledge that is unprecedented. Today we have fatherless children of all sorts. Just yesterday I was reading a newsletter from Persecution Watch that was focused on the children and widows of people who have been martyred for their faith. Such people certainly need our prayer and material support. However, in modern society, far more people are fatherless because of divorce, or their parents were never married in the first place. The problem is, that has become accepted as entirely normal by far too many people, instead of as a deplorable situation that needs to be remedied. Even in supposedly “intact” families, all too often the father is physically or emotionally distant, sometimes to the point of being a father only in a biological and legal sense. God is the answer to every one of those situations. He is indeed a Father to the fatherless, if they will reach out to Him, and especially if their mother will acknowledge and seek Him. However, that becomes much more difficult if the children are fatherless because of the mother’s selfish disregard of God in the first place. Repentance is the key to God’s blessings in virtually every aspect of life. When we seek him in humble faith, He will always answer.

As a pastor I deal frequently with people wounded by divorce, both ex-spouses and children. Almost invariably, repentance is an essential element in their recovery. As it says in the last part of this passage, the rebellious live in a sun-scorched land. People can’t get out of the holes they’ve dug for themselves unless and until they repent. I am to be patient, gracious, and loving toward such people, but I am to speak the truth in love, and not be silent out of a fear that it might make them not like me. What they think of me is totally insignificant compared to setting them free. I am to listen to people when they vent to me, but I am not to leave them without speaking God’s word to them, so that His Word may penetrate to where they need it, and cut them free from whatever trap they are in.

Father, You know the people to whom I minister far better than I do. You have the necessary knowledge and wisdom for each situation, and I don’t. Thank You for the privilege of being Your agent to them, even when it is far beyond my ability. I pray that You would indeed set the lonely in families, building them up and thwarting every plan of the enemy, for the salvation of many and for Your glory. Thank You. Praise God!

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May 5, 2014

Posted on May 7, 2014 by jgarrott

Psalm 67:1-2 May God be gracious to us and bless us and make his face shine upon us,
that your ways may be known on earth, your salvation among all nations.

The Psalmist got it right as to why to ask for blessings. We need to remember that God’s blessings are never exclusively for the direct recipient, but are to flow through them to others to lead them to God. The sad thing is, some people react to those blessings with simple jealousy, rather than seeking to know how they can be equally blessed. That is certainly true with Jews and the nation of Israel today. Jews have earned a totally disproportionate percentage of the Nobel prizes over the years, and a high percentage are in the upper ranks in terms of education and economics. Likewise, the nation of Israel has faced incredibly hard circumstances since its reestablishment in 1948 (the year of my birth), yet it has flourished remarkably, exporting both technology and agricultural goods around the world. (We get Sweetie grapefruit from Israel here in Japan.) I am reminded of a chart I once saw of two men in America from colonial days, one of whom loved and feared God and one who didn’t. Over several generations, the man who feared God had pastors, judges, university presidents and the like in abundance among his descendants, and the man who didn’t fear God had multiple criminals and people in abject poverty. You would think people would pay attention! The blessings of God accrue to those who follow His ways, not just for their blessing but to show others that’s how to live a good life.

I’ve certainly been blessed, and I recognize that I am reaping the benefits of generations who loved God. The sad thing to me is the people who look at me and can’t believe that God loves them equally, if they would only commit to Jesus as Lord. That’s why I need God’s wisdom and anointing to communicate His truths, because if I don’t tell them, how will people know? God gives everyone a desire for better things. I might wish that people would follow God simply because He is worthy, but that’s hardly ever how it happens. I need to help people understand that the best things come only from being in a right relationship with their Creator, through Jesus Christ His Son. That is in many ways the essence of evangelism, and I must not forget it. Following Christ doesn’t erase all our problems, and I should never give the impression it does. However, it at least makes those problems much more bearable, and it carries uncountable blessings as well. (John 16:33)

Father, thank You for the message You spoke through me yesterday, and for the rather dramatic title: The Secret to Happiness. I think You want me to preach more such messages, addressing the felt needs of those around me. Help me be sensitive, to You first and also to them, so that what I speak may indeed be Good News, drawing them from darkness to light, from death to life, for Your glory. Thank You. Hallelujah!

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May 4, 2014

Posted on May 5, 2014 by jgarrott

Psalm 65:2-3 O you who hear prayer,
to you all men will come.
When we were overwhelmed by sins,
you forgave our transgressions.

Here we have what are perhaps the two most attractive things about God: He hears prayer and He forgives sin. Prayer is a feature of every religion, but it makes a huge difference when the object of that prayer is alive and listening! David knew this so well that He used that characteristic of God as a title, addressing Him by it. It only stands to reason that all mankind would gather to such a God. On top of that, God forgives sin. There is a world of difference between forgiveness and indulgence. God doesn’t excuse sin, but He forgives those who are repentant on the basis of His Son’s sacrifice on the cross. David didn’t know about Jesus and the cross, even though He wrote prophetically about it in remarkable detail in Psalm 22, but he knew from painful experience that God does indeed forgive sin. Psalm 51 is the strongest expression of that. However, forgiveness means nothing to someone who isn’t aware of their guilt. David had a tender heart, and that made a huge difference. When we feel self-sufficient we don’t bother to pray, so God allows circumstances in our lives to nudge us toward Him. God is never mean, but He knows that our life on earth is to prepare us for eternity, and that means developing a relationship with Him. You can’t have a real relationship with someone without spending time with them, and that’s what prayer is all about. When we realize how much we need God, and that He really is listening, then we will grow into a rich relationship with Him through prayer, both speaking to and listening to Him.

In a very real sense this is the story of my life. I had the huge initial advantage of growing up in a home where prayer was as natural as breathing, but it took some real bumps in the road before I chose to resist the various obstacles and distractions in order to establish a lifestyle of prayer. As a pastor I want others to experience that lifestyle without having to go through what I did. It seems to come down to the tenderness of their heart. Some take to it immediately, but far more just dabble in it, or try it by fits and starts. I’m not to put them down, but remembering my own history I am to encourage them and stand with them in prayer, seeking to teach them to rely on the Holy Spirit in everything.

Father, thank You for listening. Thank You for caring. Thank You for forgiving. Thank You for the awareness of how totally dependent on You I really am, and for the peaceful assurance that is not a bad thing. Thank You for carrying me through the day yesterday. Thank You that You will carry me through the day today. I ask for strength and anointing that I may not only fulfill my functions, but do them with joy, as unto You, for the blessing of all with whom I interact, for Your glory. Thank You. Praise God!

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