The Shadow of Death; December 7, 2024

Posted on December 8, 2024 by jgarrott

Isaiah 9:2 he people walking in darkness
    have seen a great light;
on those living in the land of deep darkness
    a light has dawned.

This passage came up a few weeks ago, because the theme of our readings was Light, but at that point I wrote, and actually preached, on verse 6. With this verse, it’s interesting to note that the Japanese puts it into present tense, in terms of the light. Some translations say “a land of deep darkness,” but I think that’s a very unfortunate translation. The Japanese says “a land of the shadow of death.” Apart from the promise of eternal life in Christ, all mankind lives under the shadow of death even today. “Someday I will die” is a thought most people try to dismiss, but it’s unavoidable for us all. That’s why the light of Christ is so incredible: properly received, it totally dissipates the shadow of death! Darkness is negative, however heavy and oppressive it might feel. The only solution is to add light. The same thing applies to cold. You can’t generate cold, you can only subtract heat. The devil is all about negatives, but God is totally positive! This is why the New Testament says so much about light, from the first chapter of John on through Jesus saying both that He was the light of the world (John 8:12, 9:5) and that believers are the light of the world. (Matthew 5:14) Light is liberating, enabling us to move freely because we see and discern obstacles. Hebrews uses that image, saying that Jesus came to “free those who all their lives were held in slavery by their fear of death.” (Hebrews 2:15) To go back to what Jesus said, we aren’t the source of the light, but we are to be “fiber optics” to transmit the light of Christ to those around us, freeing them too from the shadow of death. When we are turned toward the light, light is what we see, but when we are turned away, we see our own shadow. Spiritual growth is recognizing the light and staying turned toward it more and more consistently. If we will do that, then indeed, our light will shine, and people will give glory to God. (Matthew 5:16)

I’m preaching to myself here! The busyness of the season tends to get me down, which is ironic, I know. That just shows that I’m too focused on myself and my circumstances, and not enough on my Lord, the “reason for the season,” as the saying goes. There are many things I have to do as a pastor, particularly as one of a very small congregation, where I have few people to whom things can be delegated. I need to have God’s wisdom to know who is to do what, and to remember that I can indeed do everything He asks of me, through His strength. (Philippians 4:13)

Father, thank You for all You enabled me to do yesterday, and for all You have on my schedule for today. Help me do everything, with joy, as unto You, so that Your purposes may be accomplished on Your schedule for Your glory. Thank You. Praise God!

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Nostalgia; December 6, 2024

Posted on December 7, 2024 by jgarrott

Isaiah 43:18 “Forget the former things;
    do not dwell on the past.”

Recently I have read that nostalgia was long considered a very negative thing, but today we speak of “the good old days.” We have a song about it, Those Were the Days, and it very wisely suggests that we “choose to forget” the negative things about the past. Of course, some people are caught in the opposite situation, with PTSD from past experiences dragging them down. PTSD was first recognized in those returning from war, but it also happens with those who have been the victims of violence of various sorts, either deliberate or accidental. We are certainly molded by what we experience, but what God is saying here is that we aren’t to be anchored to the past. A ship at anchor has stability, but it’s not going anywhere!　God is always leading us forward, closer to Himself, and we can miss a great deal by being too attached to the past. It’s not that we aren’t to appreciate the past and be grateful for God’s grace and mercy to us, but rather that we are always to be looking forward to what He has for us next. Of course, the ultimate thing He has for us is heaven, but we aren’t to be so caught up in thinking about that that we miss all He has for us right now, either! All of us have failures, things we regret in our past, but God is the God of new beginnings, even as He says right at the end of the Bible: “He who was seated on the throne said, ‘I am making everything new!’ Then he said, ‘Write this down, for these words are trustworthy and true.’” (Revelation 21:5) We are to be grateful for the past and learn from it, but keep remembering that God, who never changes, is at the same time the God of the new.

At 76, it is very easy to get caught up in nostalgia in its various forms, both the good things and the bad, so this is a Word to me! I am to keep moving forward, knowing that my end is eternity and being happy with that. I am in the process of writing my autobiography, which is in a way nostalgia personified, but my motive is to bless my readers and glorify God by recording His grace to me. I have been considered an underachiever most of my life because of how little I have done with the enormous quantity of blessings the Lord has poured out on me, and it would be easy to get caught up in regret over good that I haven’t done, but that too must be released to my Lord. I know people personally who are chained to their past in various ways, and in every instance it is sad. As God said, He makes everything new! It’s kind of like how my lower teeth are uneven, and my tongue tends to “play with” the unique spots. That can feel good for a moment, but keeping it up quickly makes my tongue sore, and it doesn’t change my teeth! I need to release both my past and my future into God’s hands, knowing that His plans are the very best.

Father, thank You for this reminder. I do pray for those who are currently trapped by the past, that they would be able to trust You enough to believe that You are greater than all their wounds, all their failures, so that they may move into what You have for them now, for their blessing and Your glory. Thank You. Hallelujah!

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Fear; December 5. 2024

Posted on December 6, 2024 by jgarrott

Isaiah 43:1 But now, this is what the Lord says—
    he who created you, Jacob,
    he who formed you, Israel:
“Do not fear, for I have redeemed you;
    I have summoned you by name; you are mine.”

I have long loved the musical setting of the end of this verse, going to the beginning of verse 3. It brings to mind Jesus’ famous words of encouragement just before He was arrested: “In this world you will have trouble. But take heart! I have overcome the world.” (John 16:33) We encounter all sorts of trials in this world, but if we have the assurance that God has redeemed us by the blood of His Son and we belong to Him, then we have absolutely no reason to be afraid. Fear is a natural response to danger of all sorts, and it is a valuable protective mechanism, but it can be paralyzing, or cause us to do bad things thinking we are protecting ourselves. When we grasp that God not only created us, He knows us personally and has indeed redeemed us, that makes all the difference. I am reminded of the story of the little girl who misheard the Lord’s Prayer, saying it as, “Our Father who art in heaven, how do You know my name?” He indeed knows us by name, as this verse says. Indeed, Jesus said that He even keeps track of how many hairs we have on our head! (Luke 12:7) We are not to be foolish in regard to danger of all kinds, but we are to remember that God is greater than everything, and since He’s got us, we have nothing to fear.

I have long been impressed with how many times the Bible tells us not to fear. Every angelic visitation recorded in the Bible says the angel had to tell the person not to fear! (So much for cute little “cherubs!”) I am blessed to not have a very fearful personality, but I have dealt with many people who have not been so blessed. I am not to look down on them or belittle them in any way, but rather encourage them to trust the loving God who created them and knows their name. I am also not to be presumptuous about genuine dangers, but look at them objectively and ask God what I am to do about them. At 76, I’m not to put myself in physically precarious situations, but know when and how to ask for help from others. That said, I think I am completely freed from the fear of death, and that is a blessing beyond words. I am to seek to lead others to the repentance and faith that have given me that assurance, and at the same time know that it is up to them to receive it. I do “fear” that many will fail to do so, but that is something I have to release into the hands of my loving Savior.

Father, thank You for this reminder. You know the people to whom I am actively ministering at this point. I pray that my every word, my every interaction, would show them Your love and grace and open their heart to receive it for themselves, for their salvation and Your glory. Thank You. Hallelujah!

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Preparing the Way for the Lord; December 4, 2024

Posted on December 5, 2024 by jgarrott

Isaiah 40:3 A voice of one calling:
“In the wilderness prepare
    the way for the Lord;
make straight in the desert
    a highway for our God.”

Different translations divide the first part of this differently, over whether the voice is in the wilderness or the road is in the wilderness, but the second half unequivocally says the highway is to be in the desert. Besides, punctuation is a relatively modern invention. That’s one thing that can make translation very difficult. That said, the point here is that God is coming, and His route is one that people would generally not choose. However, several factors come into play here. In the first place, Israel wandered in the wilderness for 40 years before they were ready to enter Canaan. They wandered, but here it specifies a straight highway. I don’t think there’s a speed limit on that highway! The other factor that comes to me is that our lives can seem like wilderness, with political and societal and all sorts of other confusion. We need to let God come into our wilderness. We also need to get that message to those around us, who are likewise wandering in their own private wilderness. The question is whether they recognize that they are in a wilderness, and so receive the message. We generally think of wilderness in the Biblical context as dry and barren, but the term can apply to any area that isn’t cultivated, and could actually be a jungle. Applying that metaphor, some people mistake all the stuff that is growing in their lives for what should be there, instead of the choking vines and weeds it actually is. That’s true for us, too! It is when we work on preparing the way for God that we recognize what is beneficial and what is in His way. We don’t want to hang onto anything that isn’t pleasing to Him!

I am at the point in my life where fresh acquisitions don’t give me much joy, but rather seem to be in the way. Reduction and simplicity seem very attractive! Material things are one factor, but the spiritual is far more important. I want my dreams and ambitions to be focused on God’s kingdom and His righteousness, just as Jesus said. (Matthew 6:33) I don’t want anything to be in the way of my God moving in and through me, for His glory. At the moment I’m aware of all sorts of material junk that I would be much happier without, and I need God’s wisdom and direction in disposing of it. Likewise, I want the Holy Spirit to show me everything of which I need to repent, so that I will allow Him to dispose of it. I don’t believe God is through with me on this earth, so I don’t want anything that will distract me from what He wants me to do. I don’t have the wisdom for that, so I have got to turn to Him constantly and be fully obedient to whatever He shows me.

Father, recent computer-related issues have really brought this home to me. Thank You. I ask for Your guidance and wisdom in dealing with everything, so that Your purposes for me, and for it all, may be accomplished on Your schedule for Your glory. Thank You. Praise God!

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Anticipation; December 3, 2024

Posted on December 4, 2024 by jgarrott

Isaiah 11:1 A shoot will come up from the stump of Jesse;
    from his roots a Branch will bear fruit.

What follows is a glorious description of the Messiah and His kingdom, so beautiful that it has caught the imagination of people down through the centuries. Having the record of Jesus’ life on earth, the first part seems very real and inspiring to us, but the “peaceful kingdom,” as it has been called, still seems like fantasy. At the same time, there are videos all over the Internet of people being kind to wild animals and finding those animals respond amazingly, and delightfully. We still have the peaceful kingdom to look forward to! Paul quoted Isaiah 64:4 to say, “‘What no eye has seen, what no ear has heard, and what no human mind has conceived’—the things God has prepared for those who love him—these are the things God has revealed to us by his Spirit.” (1 Corinthians 2:9-10) We have things to look forward to, and the closer we get to God, the more He reveals them to our heart. Every year around Christmas we read a lot of Scriptures that talk about the Messiah. Most of them are past, and thus verifiable, but some, like parts of this chapter, have yet to be fulfilled, and so must be received by faith. That’s not a bad thing! As Paul commented to the Romans, “Who hopes for what they already have?” (Romans 8:24) We have received incredible blessings already, but we have more to look forward to!

This is appropriate for me right now, because at 76, I feel like in so many ways I already have enough. God has been more than gracious to me, and I am deeply grateful. I have missed some of His blessings by my foolishness and/or sinfulness, but what I have received blows my mind to think about it all. The problem is, thinking that’s enough cuts me off from even more, and God’s blessings are never for just me alone. I am to be an active channel for His blessings to flow through me to others, so that they too may know what a great God we have, and give Him praise, glory, and obedience. Life on this earth is currently a mixed bag, just as Jesus said it would be, (John 16:33) but if I will keep my eyes on Him, His blessings will keep flowing through me to many, for His glory.

Father, thank You for this reminder. Thank You for all You enabled me to do yesterday. Thank You for all You have for me to do today. May I fulfill each task in Your strength and wisdom, so that Your purposes may be accomplished on Your schedule for Your glory. Thank You. Praise God!

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Reading the Bible; December 2, 2024

Posted on December 3, 2024 by jgarrott

Psalm 89:29 I will establish his line forever,
    his throne as long as the heavens endure.

Modern Jews should have a problem with this verse, because there is no reliable record of the genetic lineage of David today. In fact, the proof of being Jewish is having a Jewish mother, since human morality is what it is and genetic paternity testing is a very modern development. The genealogies listed in the Bible focus on the men, and both Matthew and Luke trace to Joseph, but both of them also state that Mary also was a direct descendant of David, and Luke is very clear in saying that Joseph was “supposed” to be the father of Jesus. (Luke 3:23) After the Roman destruction of Jerusalem in AD 70, genealogic records essentially went by the wayside for most people. So, how is this verse true? Jesus had no genetic descendants, but as Isaiah says “He shall see his offspring.” (Isaiah 53:10) Those are not biological, but spiritual. As Paul said, by faith all believers today trace all the way back to Abraham. (Galatians 3:7) Sometimes Biblical prophecy seems to fail, as in this verse, but that is only if we limit it to our human perspective. That’s why we need to read the Bible under the guidance of the Author, the Holy Spirit. If we will do that, He will make everything clear.

I have been very familiar with the words of the Bible since childhood, reading it through for the first time by the time I was 10, but I didn’t get tutelage in it until I was baptized in the Holy Spirit in 1974. Thinking about it, that’s been 50 years! I have never been a fan of Biblical commentaries, but I have appreciated some study Bibles that gave me further understanding of linguistic and cultural issues. Today, it is almost painful to hear preachers who simply preach the words, without letting the Spirit speak through them. I strive not to do that! I am certainly not a perfect mouthpiece for my Lord, but I pray that I would be an increasingly faithful one. I am grateful beyond words that His Word is indeed building more and more in me, and I get to speak it out from time to time.

Father, thank You for the Bible, the written record, and thank You for Your Spirit to read it to my spirit. It’s rather like an audio book that’s read by the author! May I hear You accurately every time I read the Bible, not placing my own interpretations on it but letting You bring it to life within and through me, sharing it as You intend, for the blessing of many and for Your glory. Thank You. Hallelujah!

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Prophets and Prophecy; December 1, 2024

Posted on December 2, 2024 by jgarrott

Deuteronomy 18:22 If what a prophet proclaims in the name of the Lord does not take place or come true, that is a message the Lord has not spoken. That prophet has spoken presumptuously, so do not be alarmed.

Verses 15 and 18 have long been considered prophecies of the Messiah, which is why this passage has come up on the first Sunday of Advent, but this verse is certainly about prophets in general. At the same time, this business of testing the validity of a prophet by the fulfillment of what they say is risky, because timelines vary greatly. Many of the prophecies in the Old Testament didn’t come to pass until many years later. However, there were people on the Internet last month claiming that Christ would return, or at least that something very major would happen, before the end of the month. They have earned the right to be ignored! Ever since Pentecost, every believer is potentially a prophet, in the sense of speaking what God is saying, and Paul urged us to desire to do so. (1 Corinthians 14:1) That is seldom the same as predictive prophecy, however. Sometimes the Lord does do that through His children, but as Moses indicated, we should be very cautious about it. God does let us know in advance about some things, and we are not to hold back if He makes something very clear to us, but this is a far cry from fortune telling, which verse 14 and many other places in the Bible make very clear is not for the children of God. Speaking God’s words is an incredible privilege, but it is also a huge responsibility. We are to rejoice when God allows us to do it, but we are never to take it lightly.

I have been used in direct prophecy quite a few times, and I strive to be an open channel for God to speak through any time He gives me the opportunity, but that doesn’t mean my primary calling is Prophet. That I am a Teacher is pretty clear, but I never want to put myself, much less God, in a box. One experience of predictive prophecy stands out in my memory, because it seemed impossible to the people to whom I spoke it, but it came true in a way none of us imagined. I won’t go into the details here, but it was a lesson that if God is speaking, I’m to be obedient, and leave the details up to Him. At the same time, I must be very careful not to go spouting off on my own – of which I am quite capable! I am very aware that God does speak to and through His children, and I seek to help all of them believe and trust that fact, the better to be obedient to Him.

Father, thank You for this reminder. I am preaching again this morning, and I want it to be all You! I know that my personality colors what and how I speak, but I desire that Christ shine through above all. May I speak what You are saying and nothing else, so that Your Word may indeed accomplish everything for which You send it, (Isaiah 55:10-11) for Your glory. Thank You. Praise God!

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God’s Grace; November 30, 2024

Posted on December 1, 2024 by jgarrott

John 1:16 Out of his fullness we have all received grace in place of grace already given.

This first chapter of John is absolutely foundational to Christian faith. It establishes that Christ is pre-existent before all things, and that He is the channel of the Father’s grace to us, His creation. I don’t know how the Jehovah’s Witnesses deal with this, since they insist that Jesus was merely a man, designated as the Son of God. These first 18 verses deserve a lifetime of meditation, but at this moment it is this statement of grace that strikes me most strongly. John ran out of words, trying to describe God’s grace, having to repeat in an effort to express the magnitude of it all. “Fullness upon fullness” and “grace upon grace” wouldn’t get very good marks from a composition teacher! (I think the most recent edition of the NIV chickened out in trying to translate this verse!) John was dealing with the impossibility of describing an infinite God and His unlimited grace toward us His creatures. We need to understand John’s difficulty, at least, even if we also are at a loss in trying to grasp the totality of an infinite Creator. John Newton famously described God’s grace as amazing, and it is certainly that. There’s a reason his hymn is one of the best loved in the whole world! When we lose our sense of amazement at God’s grace we have lost a great deal, because we are starting to slide into a sense of entitlement, when we don’t actually deserve the smallest fraction of God’s grace toward us. We need to understand that we aren’t worthy of salvation, except by Divine fiat. God, completely on His own, declared that we are worthy of His Son dying for us, to cleanse us from our sins and bring us into fellowship with Him as His children. If God said it, that settles it, so we’d better believe it!

This is something I have “known” since childhood, but my grasp of it has only grown over the years, and it’s certainly not complete even yet. Knowing God’s grace, I am all too prone to take it for granted and get careless about my obedience. In other words, I slip into a sense of entitlement, and that’s deadly. My repentance needs to be continuous, essentially, because in myself I am unable to walk in the perfect holiness of Christ. However, the Bible, and the Holy Spirit within me, are very comforting, and I have no anxiety about my eternal home. When I have tasted how wonderful God’s grace is, how can I not share that grace with those around me?

Father, thank You for this reminder. Your grace is indeed the meditation of a lifetime. Help me walk in it without hesitation, proclaiming it boldly and effectively to all I encounter, so that as many as possible may repent and believe, for the their salvation and Your glory. Thank You. Hallelujah!

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Standards; November 29, 2024

Posted on November 30, 2024 by jgarrott

Luke 16:15 He said to them, “You are the ones who justify yourselves in the eyes of others, but God knows your hearts. What people value highly is detestable in God’s sight.”

This issue comes up again and again in the Bible. Human standards are generally meaningless. As Paul said, “We do not dare to classify or compare ourselves with some who commend themselves. When they measure themselves by themselves and compare themselves with themselves, they are not wise.” (2 Corinthians 10:12) Society today is very accepting of various things that are clearly against Scripture, and we are constantly being pressured to accept more. The problem is, there is indeed such a thing as absolute truth, however much people say “my truth” and “your truth.” Our perceptions are very often skewed. That’s why the Old Testament speaks repeatedly of a “plumb line,” meaning God’s standard of what is right and wrong. Violating that is like trying to violate the law of gravity! That’s why the only wise course is to seek out God’s standards and strive to follow them with His help. Actually, we are incapable of following them fully on our own, but He very graciously helps those who seek Him from their heart. The simplest way to condense all of this is to say that just because everybody’s doing it, doesn’t mean it’s OK.

I think everybody struggles with this to at least some degree. In Japanese society, doing what everybody is doing is commended, regardless of any intrinsic right or wrong. There’s even a proverb that says that it’s not scary to cross the street against the light if everybody’s doing it! I’ve always been something of an outsider, for various reasons, and I have tried at times to fit in by doing what everybody seemed to be doing, regardless of any intrinsic value. That was never a good idea! At the same time, I’m not to be different just for the sake of being different. I’ve done a bit of that, too! The phrase, “What would Jesus do?” often shortened to WWJD, has its value, but the point is that Jesus did what He did because He was constantly listening to His Father by the Holy Spirit. We tend to forget that He made a whip of cords and literally drove the merchants out of the Court of the Gentiles in the temple! The Holy Spirit is never going to direct me to violate Scripture, but He may tell me to do something unconventional or unexpected. I must remember that Jesus is my example and my standard, and not settle for anything less.

Father, thank You for this reminder. May I live each day in full submission and obedience to You, judging things as You see them and no other way. And that includes judging myself! Thank You for Your truly amazing grace. May I be an effective channel of that grace to all I encounter, for their blessing and Your glory. Thank You. Praise God!

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Human Value; November 28, 2024

Posted on November 29, 2024 by jgarrott

Luke 12:6-7 Are not five sparrows sold for two pennies? Yet not one of them is forgotten by God. Indeed, the very hairs of your head are all numbered. Don’t be afraid; you are worth more than many sparrows.

One of the devil’s biggest lies is about the value of life. On the one hand he has convinced some people that animal life is as valuable as human life. The extreme example of that is the Jain religion in India, where people wear masks, not for health reasons but to avoid breathing in insects and killing them. Here, Jesus directly refutes that, saying that human life is worth more than that of many animals. I do understand attachment to pets, and have wept at the death of several that have been part of my life, but placing animals on the same plane as humans is a terrible deception. The other side of this deception is saying that human life has no value. The devil loves that one! Stalin famously said, “Five deaths is a tragedy. Five million deaths is a statistic.” France recently took someone to court for saying that abortion was death, when they very accurately wrote that abortion was the leading cause of death in the world. The number is several times greater than that for cancer or heart disease, but the government position is that until a child is born they are less than human. It isn’t an insect growing in the womb! The point is, none of these things are escaping God’s notice. Another lie closely related to this is when people believe that they themselves are worthless. This lie is generally pounded home by various forms of abuse, but social media is currently a favorite tool of the devil. Young people, children, are convinced that their value depends on the number of “likes” they get, and an epidemic of suicides is the result. And I won’t even go into the whole scene of drug and alcohol dependency. Those who know God, who know their own value because they are created and loved by God, need to be tireless in sharing that awareness with others to liberate them from the destructive lies of the devil.

I have always had a high view of my own value (!) but haven’t always valued others properly. I am very much against cruelty to animals, but I am certainly not a vegetarian. I have had a wide variety of pets, with dogs in the greatest number, and I have mourned each one when they died, but I don’t think I have placed them on the level of human beings. That said, the death of pets when I was a child helped me understand that death is a part of life, and I think I respond much more calmly to human death than most people. That’s not to say I take it lightly! A famous, and I think, misunderstood, verse is found in Psalms: “Precious in the sight of the Lord is the death of his faithful servants.” (Psalm 116:15) I think “precious” there should be taken as, “of great significance.” Death isn’t to be taken lightly, but it is still a part of physical life. I am to be dedicated to bringing as many people as possible to the faith that gives them eternal life, so that physical death is no more than a bump in the road.

Father, this is a huge subject, one of the biggest. Help me keep growing in my own grasp of it, and help me draw others into Your life by repentance and faith, for their salvation and Your glory. Thank You. Hallelujah!

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