April 3, 2014

Posted on April 5, 2014 by jgarrott

Psalm 19:3-4 There is no speech or language where their voice is not heard.
Their voice goes out into all the earth, their words to the ends of the world.

The Japanese uses a translation of verse 3 that is given as a footnote in the NIV: “They have no speech, there are no words; no sound is heard from them,” but then it starts verse 4 with “However.” That makes a lot of sense to me, because the physical sounds of the universe, though real, do not transmit over the vacuum of space in any way that can be perceived as sound. That said, the message that there is indeed a Creator of the Universe, who is due all our allegiance, honor and praise, does indeed transmit to every person with the sense to perceive it. This is what Paul was talking about in Romans 1:20 when he said that God has made Himself known to everyone. Without specific revelation, human response to God generally descends to superstition. Those who wish to deny the existence of God often use such superstitions to back their case, pointing out their absurdity. However, God chose Abram, whom He renamed Abraham, and his physical descendants to reveal Himself to in more detail, so that mankind could be liberated from superstition and brought to the fellowship of obedience. Then, as it says in Hebrews 1:1-2, “In the past God spoke to our forefathers through the prophets at many times and in various ways, but in these last days He has spoken to us by His Son, whom He appointed heir of all things, and through whom He made the universe.” I’ve seen a refrigerator magnet that says, “Happiness is seeing a beautiful sunset and knowing whom to thank.” A materialist would scoff at that, and talk about water vapor and dust and refraction and the like, but such a focus leads to immense poverty of the soul. God created a truly spectacular universe for us to enjoy, and our appreciation of it is only amplified and multiplied when we recognize the Source and give Him the thanks, praise, and obedience He is due.

I have always delighted in the physical universe, to the point that my high school biology teacher was sure I’d become an entomologist, and I started college as a chemistry major. I think that’s a major part of my love of photography, because I delight to capture the beauties of the world around me. However, it has saddened me to encounter so many people who use the physical sciences as an excuse to ignore the meaning behind them, the God who created it all. They display a willful blindness, because they are afraid of the accountability that logically comes from our being created beings. I have found, through painful experience, that I cannot convince them by my words, but I can pray for them and demonstrate God’s love to them, so that they may receive His words into their heart. When that happens, it is truly moving to see the transformation that results.

Father, You know the people who came to mind as I wrote that. You also know how to get through to those who are still stubborn, and I don’t. I do pray that You would open the eyes and ears of their hearts to perceive You and Your love for them, so that they may respond in repentance and faith, for their salvation and Your glory. Thank You. Hallelujah!

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April 2, 2014

Posted on April 3, 2014 by jgarrott

Psalm 15:1-2 LORD, who may dwell in your sanctuary?
Who may live on your holy hill?
He whose walk is blameless and who does what is righteous,
who speaks the truth from his heart.

This Psalm is a beautiful word picture of a person pleasing to God, but different translations give different nuances. Not speaking modern Hebrew, much less the Hebrew of David’s day, I don’t know the nuances he actually intended, but they are interesting to consider. Where the NIV says “speaks the truth from his heart,” the Japanese says, “speaks the truth of (or, “that is in”) his heart.” The NIV would seem to stress consistent honesty, but the Japanese seems to add an element of forthrightness, of not being devious by failing to say things. That’s interesting, when Japanese society is often less that forthright, particularly when there is concern the truth might offend. On a completely different tack, the Japanese would be open to the possibility David meant speaking out God’s Truth that has been received into the heart. Those are all good things! James had some very clear things to say about how and what we speak. (James 3:2-12) We should indeed speak truth on every level, but always in love. (Ephesians 4:15) True love will speak even hard words, if they are needed to keep someone from harm. I don’t think it’s possible to overestimate the importance of what we say, when Christ Himself is the Word of God. (John 1:1) Our words must be true, and our actions must be congruent with what we say.

I had the very great blessing of a father who held absolute honesty as one of his foundational principles. In addition, we were a family that honored and reveled in the Word of God. To top it off, the Lord gave me a gift for words. However, I have not always been consistent in speaking only the truth He wanted me to speak. Living in Japan, I have the complication of two different languages in which to speak and write. I am not to use language thoughtlessly, but as a tool to communicate God’s truth at all times, even when that isn’t the specific subject. In other words, everything I say should reveal Christ, even if I’m just talking about the weather! If I speak always in the context of love for and gratitude toward God, then people’s eyes will be opened to Him as well.

Father, thank You for the incredible privilege of speaking Your words, Your Truth. Thank You for the good first classes I had yesterday with new sets of Occupational Therapy and Physical Therapy students. I pray that my every interaction with them, in the classroom and out, would not only prepare them to be better therapists, but would draw them to the Christ they see in me, for their salvation and Your glory. Thank You. Praise God!

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April 1, 2014

Posted on April 3, 2014 by jgarrott

Psalm 14:1 The fool says in his heart, “There is no God.”

This is a justly famous line, and it is as true today as when David composed it. Whatever arguments you might have over theology, the existence of a Creator is remarkably obvious. Whereas no one can “prove” God exists, it is far harder to prove He does not exist! The pitfalls of atheism are so many and so severe that several books have been written on the subject. However, books by themselves will never convince the committed atheist, because he has such an emotional commitment to his atheism, however intellectual he might claim it to be. Pascal’s famous quote about a “God-shaped hole” in everyone’s heart is remarkably accurate, and those who protest they don’t have one are affirming the applicability of this verse to themselves. It is worth noting, and very interesting, that the man we now know as “The Buddha” was actually an atheist philosopher who knew nothing of astronomy and physics. He didn’t really touch on why or how the world exists, but was rather convinced that human desires and appetites were the source of all unhappiness, so for him, the ultimate good was negation of those desires and appetites. He was actually quite the nihilist. As he was approaching death, he gave strict instructions to his disciples not to make him into a god, so they didn’t – they made him into The Buddha! They recognized the vacuum in their own hearts, and tried to make him the one to fill that. He was trying to get rid of the vacuum, but he couldn’t do it, and millions have been following that particular path of deception ever since.

Living in a land that is nominally both Buddhist and Shinto, I deal with people all the time who have a non-Christian framework. They are generally less antagonistic toward Christianity than those who come from “Christian” countries who are in active rebellion! Most Japanese have no real faith, but rather a collection of superstitions that are only loosely tied to any religion. They generally go through the motions of both Buddhism and Shinto, and even tack on a few Christian elements, like celebrating Christmas. It is an enormous challenge to reach them with the Gospel, because they have no grasp of the possibility, even, of a central pillar of faith, a true Savior. They are generally not so much committed atheists as profoundly ignorant, and the devil does all he can to try to keep them that way. Events such as the tsunami a few years ago break many out of that trap, and testimonies from the area have actually been quite encouraging. I am never to give up, even as I recognize that my own efforts, in and of themselves, will never save anyone. However, I must not be so foolish as to think that God could not use me to save people, and I must keep myself actively available for that purpose.

Father, You know all the people to whom I witness, and You know whose hearts You have prepared to receive the Gospel. Help me trust You enough to be actively obedient, speaking Your words as You indicate in the context of a life that demonstrates Christ, so that as many as possible may indeed be saved, for Your glory. Thank You. Praise God!

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March 31, 2014

Posted on April 1, 2014 by jgarrott

Psalm 11:3 “When the foundations are being destroyed, what can the righteous do?”

It’s important to remember that this verse is part of a quote that David is refuting in faith. With that understanding, this verse is extremely appropriate for America today. Where the NIV says “foundations,” the Japanese says “place of refuge,” but the point is the same: the powerlessness of good people in the face of calamity and evil. David’s point through the whole Psalm is that good people are NOT powerless, because God is still God! That is a vital thing to remember. His was the kind of faith expressed by Habakkuk at the end of his little book, (Habakkuk 3:17-19) that rejoices in God regardless of the immediate circumstances. That’s a security that no one can take from you. Certainly, things can look very alarming, and they can get very bad. However, the one who is in Christ is never powerless, because he is standing on the Rock that will never be shaken, connected to the Master of the Universe. (And no, I’m not talking about some comic book character.) Believers should be the epitome of courage, because they know the ultimate outcome. Sometimes the “bumps in the road” can be painful indeed, but they are never the end of the story. We are to be active in fighting evil and tearing down the works of the enemy, because that was why Christ came, (1 John 3:8) but we carry our refuge around with us, so to speak, because Christ Himself is our refuge. We aren’t to be thinking escape, but victory!

Courtesy of the Internet, I’ve gotten pretty worked up several times over the past few years over what is going on in the US, and the Lord has had to bring me back to what David says in this Psalm. When I allow myself to project evil outcomes from what is going on, I am abandoning faith and ceding territory to the devil. That’s never good! Regardless of what politicians, judges, bureaucrats, or others might do, they are never the final authority, and I must never forget that. I am to be active in spiritual warfare through prayer, passionate but not desperate, because like Paul, I know whom I have believed. (2 Timothy 1:12)

Father, thank You for being God. Help me never forget that You are, and that I’m one of Your children. Thank You for the team who will be coming next month who will join me in spiritual warfare. May we be effective in that for the sake of Omura, of Japan, and of the Body of Christ around the world. I pray that this would be an occasion for the believers here to wake up further to who they are in Christ, so that we may walk in Your victory more and more consistently, for Your glory. Thank You. Hallelujah!

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March 30, 2014

Posted on April 1, 2014 by jgarrott

Psalm 9:10 Those who know your name will trust in you, for you LORD, have never forsaken those who seek you.

For starters, with this verse we need to remember that in the culture of the day, a person’s name was considered the essence of who they were. That’s why it was so extremely significant that Adam was given the task of naming all the animals in the Garden of Eden. (Genesis 2:19) So knowing the Name of the Lord here means knowing who God is and what He is like. With that understood, it makes a lot of sense that those who know God depend on Him. (That’s the nuance of the Japanese translation, where the NIV says “trust in.”) That’s really the essence of faith, when we come down to it. We may say we believe in God, but when push comes to shove, do we really rely on Him, or do we think we have to take care of it ourselves, or do we rely on some “god substitute” like the government? God is the only one who is really trustworthy, and getting that through our heads and hearts is of vital importance. The basis for that is given in the second half of this verse: God has a perfect track record! From our perspective it doesn’t always look that way, because our vision, our awareness, is so limited. Hebrews 11, after listing so many heroes of faith, says, “These were all commended for their faith, yet none of them received what had been promised. God had planned something better for us so that only together with us would they be made perfect.” (Hebrews 11:39-40) If they didn’t receive what was promised, doesn’t that make God unreliable? Not at all! It means that they, and we, need to trust God with the time table of the fulfillment of His promises. Frankly, that can be pretty difficult at times! However, trusting, obedient faith is the only way to real peace, joy, and satisfaction in this fallen world. As the Bible makes very clear, in the final analysis, those who are in Christ Jesus come out on top, in great glory, and we need to rest in that assurance.

I certainly didn’t expect to write all of that when I started! I am confronted with all sorts of stresses and failures all the time, on my own part and on the part of others. If I focus on those things I will lose the peace and joy God has and intends for me. If I focus on God, and how He is going to bring good and glory out of even those things, (Romans 8:28) then I will keep drawing closer to Him and be transformed into the likeness of His Son. (2 Corinthians 3:18) As a pastor, I not only need to be doing that myself, I need to be leading others to do so as well. Actually, the New Testament is clear that all believers are to be encouraging one another to live this way!

Father, thank You for Your grace and patience. Thank You for Your faithfulness, both to protect and guide me and to speak through me. Thank You for the clarification/amplification You gave me just now on this morning’s message. Help me trust You enough to let You speak and act unhindered through me, for the blessing, even the salvation, of many, and for Your glory. Thank You. Hallelujah!

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March 29, 2014

Posted on March 30, 2014 by jgarrott

Psalm 7:17 I will give thanks to the Lord because of His righteousness
and will sing praise to the name of the LORD Most High.

The Japanese makes it very clear that the righteousness mentioned here refers to the things that are mentioned in the previous verses, which speak specifically of the wrath of God (verses 11-13) and the troubles that recoil on the wicked. We really don’t like to think and talk about the wrath of God, but it’s an inescapable subject throughout the Bible, from Genesis to Revelation. We tend to think of righteousness, or doing what is right, in terms of doing nice things to people, but that’s only part of the Biblical picture. We aren’t to be vindictive, certainly, but it is a sign of God’s righteousness when actively evil people “get what’s coming to them,” as the saying goes. Police and even governments are intended to be instruments of God’s righteousness. (Romans 13:1-7) Civil disobedience is called for only when they are clearly in violation of that principle. Sadly, that seems less and less unusual, but that doesn’t change the basic principle. Whatever people are doing, however, we can trust God to do the right thing, rewarding or repaying each person as is truly appropriate. However, any time we pray for that, we had better be standing on and in faith in Jesus Christ, because otherwise, we too are fit only for eternal punishment! Our first prayer needs to be for mercy and grace, for ourselves and for those who seem evil to us. Whether they accept that mercy and grace and repent is their responsibility, but that is what we should pray for.

I’ve never run afoul of the law particularly, having gotten only one speeding ticket and one parking ticket my whole life, but that doesn’t mean I’m innocent before God. When I am disappointed in others, or even actively angry, I’ve got to remember God’s patience with me. I am not to pray “comeuppance” on people, but rather that God’s Name be hallowed and His kingdom come as His will is done, whatever that might mean. And I am not to try to dictate what it does mean! I cannot directly change anyone but myself, so I need to apply my effort to getting and staying in line and in step with the Holy Spirit, (Galatians 5:25) because only then will I be expressing the righteousness of God.

Father, You know the situations I’m dealing with, and the situations I am reading about on the Internet. I do indeed pray that Your will be done in each one, not as I might imagine it to be but as perfectly as it is in heaven. May I be a compliant, available tool in Your hands for doing Your will, not running off on my own but walking in full obedience, for Your glory. Thank You. Praise God!

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March 28, 2014

Posted on March 30, 2014 by jgarrott

Psalm 7:3-5 O Lord my God, if I have done this and there is guilt on my hands –
if I have done evil to him who is at peace with me
or without cause have robbed my foe –
then let my enemy pursue and overtake me;
let him trample me in the ground
and make me sleep in the dust.

When you think about it, this is a pretty remarkable statement on the part of David. Many people cringe at what are called “imprecatory Psalms,” where the writer wishes evil on his enemies, but here David is pronouncing a very severe imprecation on himself, if he is indeed guilty of what he is being accused of. I’d say that’s a pretty clear indication that he at least though he was innocent! It makes me think about what our actions really deserve. We tend to excuse ourselves but be much more severe in considering others. That may be natural, but it’s not pretty. Jesus used a bit of humorous hyperbole in pointing this out, speaking of planks and sawdust. (Matthew 7:3-5) A major problem for us is that we have so little grasp of the holiness of God. We have never been that holy, so we have trouble imagining what it is like and what it means. The European fairly tale of “The Princess and the Pea” might be an illustration. That story is absurd for a number of reasons, but on the good side it could serve as an illustration of how God responds to sin, to unholiness. His response to sin is so severe that it caused Him to send His Son to die, in order to deal with sin. Now that’s severe! God has provided that redemption, but the problem is that we tend to think that we don’t need it, that we’re good enough as we are. That’s a total deception! Unlike David and what he was accused of, we really are guilty of turning our backs on God, of thinking and saying that we don’t need Him, that we know better than He does. If God operated on justice alone, that would condemn us to eternal separation from Him, and that would be hell, in every sense of the word. The incredible good news is that God operates on love and mercy, so that we may be saved by grace through faith. (Ephesians 2:8-9)

This is as true for me as it is for anyone else, and I must never forget that. I am as much in need of the grace of God as the worst mass murderer, and if I forget that, I immediately get out of line with the Holy Spirit. I am indeed cleansed and redeemed by the blood of Christ, but only by the blood of Christ; I have no claim to anything on my own merit. As I seek to share the Gospel with others, I’ve got to keep rejoicing in it myself, in deepest gratitude. When I do things right, I should rejoice that God has enabled me to do so, avoiding the multiple pitfalls all around me. When others fall, I am not to condemn and certainly not rejoice, but extend the hand of grace to lift them up. My faith is where it is only by the grace of God, so I am to encourage others to open their hearts to receive the faith that God has prepared for them, so that they too may walk in the abundance of His grace.

Father, You know every situation I deal with day by day. You also know I don’t have the wisdom in myself to deal with any of it! I ask for Your wisdom and love to deal with each individual, each situation, so that the devil’s schemes may be destroyed (1 John 3:8) and people set free to come from death to life, darkness to light, for Your glory. Thank You. Hallelujah!

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March 27, 2014

Posted on March 30, 2014 by jgarrott

Psalm 5:3 In the morning, O LORD, you hear my voice;
in the morning I lay my requests before you
and wait in expectation.

Starting each day focused on God is fundamentally so simple, yet it is powerful and at the same time not so easy. We have a tendency to turn to God after we have exhausted every other possibility, when that is the opposite of the logical sequence. If we turn to God first, that’s not to say we won’t apply ourselves diligently, but it’s to let Him show us how to apply ourselves so that we won’t be wasting physical, emotional, and spiritual resources. When our eyes are turned to ourselves instead of to God, we tend either to become proud and conceited, or to despair and give up before we start. The Japanese for this verse specifies “at dawn.” That’s to say, before doing anything else. Once we get started with the day, all sorts of things demand our attention and a clear focus on God becomes increasingly difficult. How early we start and how long we spend depends on our circumstances. It’s recorded that Jesus sometimes got up “at daybreak” (Luke 4:42) to pray. That’s perfectly in line with what David says here. We need to be careful that morning devotions aren’t mechanical. Different translations express it differently, but it’s clear that David is expectant toward God. He doesn’t know exactly how God is going to answer, but he’s sure that He will answer. That’s the attitude to have every time we get alone with God.

It took me a while to get into the consistent habit of starting each day with God, but it’s been many, many years now since I did, and I am deeply grateful to God for enabling me to do so. For a period of several years I didn’t want to do anything before having my devotional time, and it made me less than charitable toward those who made demands on me. I now know that’s not expressing God’s love accurately, and I am able to be more gracious toward interruptions. However, that’s not to say that I enjoy such interruptions! As a pastor, one of my strongest desires is that each believer in my care develop a consistent devotional life habit. Even if it’s as simple as praying, “Lord, good morning. Help me walk with you today,” when you first wake up, it is so helpful in living as we really want to, in joyful participation in God’s plans for us. I do understand that it’s not easy getting into that habit, but it’s a mystery why some people can’t seem to understand that it’s desirable. People naturally don’t see me at my devotions, so modeling isn’t done so directly, but I need to be consistent in encouraging them to follow through on their own. Morning devotions are a time of putting on the armor of God, (Ephesians 6:13-17) and as fierce as the battle is, that’s essential!

Father, thank You for this reminder, and for the hint at how to keep the subject in people’s awareness. There’s so much I want to teach them! Help me have Your wisdom as to what to teach when and how, and help me trust Your Spirit to implant Your truth in their hearts, so that together we may walk in all that You intend, for Your glory. Thank You. Hallelujah!

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March 26, 2014

Posted on March 27, 2014 by jgarrott

Psalm 4:5 Offer right sacrifices
and trust in the Lord.

There are several verses in this brief Psalm that speak to me strongly. Maybe someday I’ll just have to preach on the Psalm! This verse in Japanese specifies “sacrifices of righteousness.” Obedience, doing the right thing, is one of the very few things we can give God that He hasn’t given us first. Actually, we think of “offerings” rather than “sacrifices,” and there’s a difference. An offering is generally out of abundance, but a sacrifice costs you something. An offering is something you might not miss, but a sacrifice is felt. The Bible uses both terms a great deal. It’s not at all that God doesn’t want us to give unless the giving is painful, but often we need to give even though the giving is painful. As God has been reminding me strongly the past few days, (and wants me to preach on Sunday) He provides everything He asks of us. He even went so far as to provide His Son as the atoning sacrifice that His holiness required to deal with our sin! The better we grasp that reality, the more things that used to be sacrifices turn into joyful offerings. As David himself said in this very Psalm, “You have filled my heart with greater joy than when their grain and new wine abound.” (Psalm 4:7) Sometimes it really costs something to be righteous, to do the right thing, but the rewards are always worth it.

This is a testimony I can make with joy! There have been times when I have drawn back from something I knew was of God, saying in my heart, (at least) it’s too hard. Absolutely without fail, the times I have followed through in obedience, the rewards have been more than worth it, and I have regretted the times I have not followed through. The devil is a liar, out to steal, kill, and destroy, (John 10:10) and sometimes our flesh is his ally. That’s why we have to learn to listen to God more than to our flesh. It can be hard getting out of bed in time to spend time with the Lord at the beginning of each day, but that comes from failing to put God first the night before in what time we choose to go to bed! That’s a sacrifice of righteousness. The more we experience the joys of regular fellowship with our Creator who loves us so much, the more we will come to resent and stand against anything that interferes with that fellowship – including those TV shows everybody at work talks about! This is a truth I try to get across to the believers, but so often they have trouble receiving it. I am not to give up, but stay available to the Holy Spirit for Him to draw people through me, for their blessing and the glory of God.

Father, thank You for Your faithfulness to speak to and through me. Help me walk in the righteousness of Christ at all times, whatever it might seem to cost at the moment, so that all of Your purposes for me may be fulfilled, for Your glory. Thank You. Praise God!

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March 25, 2014

Posted on March 27, 2014 by jgarrott

Psalm 1:3 He is like a tree planted by streams of water,
which yields its fruit in season
and whose leaf does not wither.
Whatever he does prospers.

Just about everyone on earth would like this verse to be true of them, but they don’t want to live as the first two verses describe. As is clear from reading Job, there are special circumstances in which truly righteous people go through terrible trials, but the general rule is exactly as described in this Psalm: the person who is focused on living in tune with God will do well. It’s important to note the specific imagery here. “Planted by streams of water” doesn’t mean that there won’t be times of drought, it means that even in drought, such a tree (person) has what they need, because their roots go deep. It’s also helpful to note that such a tree is fruitful, that is, it’s of benefit to others. Some people would like to be like Japanese cherry trees: decorative, perhaps, but not nourishing. A person who is walking with God is going to meet the needs of others. That said, we need to remember that it’s “in season.” There isn’t constant pressure to have fruit ready to eat, but the process is always going on. It’s the last line that makes people most envious: “Whatever he does prospers.” However, such a person is only going to be doing things that are in line with God’s plan for him, and thus pleasing to God. So often we ask God to rubber stamp whatever we dream up and then get bummed out when things don’t go well, and we accuse God of violating His promises. If you’re really meditating on the Bible day and night, then your plans will line up with His, and He’ll see to it that they succeed.

I’ve certainly tested this principle from both sides, and I can say without hesitation that this Psalm is true. I am as human as anyone, and I have allowed myself to be distracted from pure obedience to God more times than I could count. However, I feel this verse has been largely descriptive of me. I’ve not had major financial success, certainly, but God has supplied my needs and more. I’ve maybe not produced a bumper crop, but I have born fruit in various ways. I’ve had my frustrations, but God has given what seems to me in retrospect to be a remarkable degree of success in what I’ve put my hand to. The danger to me now is in taking any or all of this for granted. I need to be walking in gratitude, never thinking that it’s because of my own ability or goodness that any of these good things have come, but seeking God in every detail, indeed meditating on His Word day and night. If I turn away from God at this point, I throw it all out the window, as the Lord said so clearly to Ezekiel. (Ezekiel 18:24)

Father, thank You for Your overflowing grace to me. Thank You for the example I had in my parents, and for protecting me so many times when I was in grave danger of completely jumping the track. People look at me now and have no idea of how easily I could have lived such a totally different life. Help me be effective in drawing others into devotion to You, so that they too may live a “Psalm 1 life,” in this life and throughout eternity. Thank You. Praise God!

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