Speaking; October 22, 2024

Posted on October 23, 2024 by jgarrott

Proverbs 13:3 Those who guard their lips preserve their lives,
    but those who speak rashly will come to ruin.

To a man of words like me, this verse seems rather ominous! Wise men, even apart from the Bible, have noted from thousands of years ago that we are given one mouth and two ears, and so should listen twice as much as we talk. Some people seem gifted in that area, and some rather the opposite. I take some comfort in the specific turn of phrase in the second half, speaking of lips (as the ESV and the Japanese express it). That to me implies a braggart, someone trying to draw attention to himself. The NIV interprets that as “speak rashly,” which to me bolsters my impression. It is also interesting to note that where English translations say, “preserves his life,” the Japanese says, “preserves his soul.” A person can be physically alive and yet their soul be as empty as a discarded drink can. As Jesus said, our lives are far more than material possessions. (Matthew 6:25-34) Running off at the mouth can get us into trouble on many different levels. In the New Testament, James is famous for putting a lot of stress on this area, particularly in chapter 3 of his letter, so this is far from “an Old Testament issue.” We all need to keep watch over our mouths, what comes out of them as well as what goes into them.

I couldn’t begin to count how many times I’ve gotten into trouble because of things I’ve said, but I could give you several examples! Most of the time it’s been because I was showing off in some way, and that’s exactly what this verse is talking about. More regrettably, to me, have been the many times I have hurt people needlessly with my words. I am to speak the truth always, but not everything has to be said, and love must guide how and why I speak. I am all too prone to speak to defend myself or my position, and that motive isn’t agape love. (On a completely side note, I noticed years ago that the computer doesn’t flag that Greek word, because the spelling is the same as an English word that means, “standing open,” as in, “They stood there, mouths agape, in astonishment.”) I must always speak to build people up, expressing God’s grace and truth to them as one who is completely dependent on that grace and truth.

Father, thank You for this reminder. It is an area where I have grown, but I certainly need to continue to grow! As David said, “May these words of my mouth and this meditation of my heart be pleasing in your sight, Lord, my Rock and my Redeemer.” (Psalm 19:14) May I speak always and only as You desire and intend, for the blessing of my hearers and for Your glory. Thank You. Praise God!

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Sex; October 21, 2024

Posted on October 22, 2024 by jgarrott

Proverbs 6:23 For this command is a lamp,
    this teaching is a light,
and correction and instruction
    are the way to life.

This verse is certainly true, but what is striking is that what follows is a very clear warning not to be seduced by a married woman. The reason it is so striking is that Proverbs is supposedly largely the work of Solomon, with wise sayings of a few other people added, and Solomon’s own mother was married to Uriah at the point that she was first bedded by David. Of course, as the king in an absolute monarchy, David could take what he wanted, but there is the very real question of entrapment, when Bathsheba was bathing on her roof in view of the king’s promenade on the roof of the palace next door. I know of Christian women who are terribly offended by even the suggestion of the possibility of such a thing, but the fact remains that, with the exception of outright rape, there is always some degree of mutuality in such relationships. Society is so twisted today that there are otherwise respectable women who proudly parade their “body count,” and proclaim their “liberation.” That is actually very sad, but such people don’t recognize what and how much the devil has stolen from them with his lies. When God made mankind, and indeed the whole animal world, he had to make procreation enjoyable, or everything would have died out. He created hormones and sex drive and said, “Go forth and multiply.” However, with mankind he set various boundaries, and we cross those to our loss. God specified monogamous marriage for mankind because, as Paul famously explains in Ephesians 5, the marital relationship is in a number of ways a picture of the relationship between Christ and the Church, God and His people. That’s precisely why the devil works so hard to dirty things up, and he has succeeded to a tragic degree. Today, America has a whole political party that makes abortion the major plank of their platform, so that people can have “consequence free” sex. There is no such thing. Regardless of procreation, the act of coitus always has consequences, either cementing and deepening the relationship between a husband and wife, or cheapening and degrading both participants.

I’m very grateful not to have been trapped by this sort of thing, but I’ve had some close calls. I also have friends who have been tripped up, with sad consequences. Men are generally seen as the sexual aggressor, but just as Solomon wrote, the reverse can equally be true. This is in no way a new problem, as is clear from Solomon having written about it 3000 years ago! However, the solution, for me and for everyone else, is to listen to what God has said about it and follow that, knowing that God always has our best interest at heart. And He is certainly not a “spoil-sport,” not wanting us to have any fun. After 55 years of marriage, I can definitely testify to that!

Father, thank You for the gift of sex. Help all of Your children discern the lies and walk in Your truth, in holiness and joy, so that those who are deceived may have their eyes opened to escape the devil’s traps, for their salvation and Your glory. Thank You. Praise God!

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Spiritual Growth; October 20, 2024

Posted on October 21, 2024 by jgarrott

Proverbs 4:18 The path of the righteous is like the morning sun,
    shining ever brighter till the full light of day.

This verse, in a very slightly different translation, is actually a better fit to the music in Japanese than the original English, to a chorus that in English is called “The Path of the Just.” It’s always fascinating to me when that happens (and this isn’t the only example) because I’ve done so much song translation. Regardless of that, the content is worthy of meditation. These days not many people are out walking at dawn, and if they are in a vehicle, headlights make it harder to understand as a principle. The thing is, pre-dawn light is definitely dim, and it would be very easy to stumble. As the sun starts to come up, the way gets clearer and clearer, and if you’re walking due East, the light is quickly blinding if you don’t shade your eyes. (Walking other directions, of course, is a different matter on the blinding part.) The point of this verse, however, is that when we first choose to walk in obedience to God, the way might not seem very clear, and stumbling can certainly occur. However – and here’s the important part – it gets better. The way is clearer, and we can walk with more assurance and accuracy, and stumbling becomes less and less frequent. Sanctification is an important Biblical principle, but despite the teaching of some groups, it’s rarely instantaneous. When we repent and believe in Jesus as our Lord and Savior, we are in that moment counted as righteous, but that is worked into and through our lives on a growing basis. Often a new believer will seem so different from the way they were before commitment that we think the job is done, but that’s a very dangerous mistake. Everyone needs to grow, and that includes the most white-haired saint you can think of! Spiritual growth is an essential, and beautiful, part of spiritual life. We need both to aim for it and be grateful for it, even when we have “growing pains.”

This verse really clicks for me because I am often out walking at dawn, particularly in the winter months when the sun comes up later. I have taken many spectacular pictures that people think are sunsets, but they are dawn shots. I wear a baseball cap and dip my head to shield my eyes from the direct sunlight when I’m headed East, but sunglasses aren’t appropriate because the ground around me isn’t so illuminated. On the return trip, headed West, sunglasses are often appropriate. In the area of spiritual growth, I can look back and see that I have grown indeed in various areas, but I am often painfully aware that I have plenty more room to grow. At this point, delegation is one of those areas. I don’t have to be the center of what’s going on! I need to remember that my job is to equip the saints to do works of ministry, not to do it all myself. (Ephesians 4:11-14) In any case, I am to rest, relax, and rejoice in my Lord, knowing that His “lesson plans” are good, and that He will enable me to pass the test, for His glory.

Father, thank You for this reminder. Help me keep it in my awareness, seeking to grow and encouraging others to do so as well, in all gentleness and love, so that we may be the children, the disciples, that You desire and deserve. Thank You. Hallelujah!

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God’s Omniscience; October 19, 2024

Posted on October 20, 2024 by jgarrott

Psalm 139:23-24 Search me, God, and know my heart;
    test me and know my anxious thoughts.
See if there is any offensive way in me,
    and lead me in the way everlasting.

I really thought I would be writing on other than this most famous part of this Psalm, but here I am! (Actually, I’m writing on the whole Psalm.) For the first half of the Psalm it sounds like David is trying to escape from God, that he wants Him to leave him alone. He may well have started with a bit of that feeling, but then as the Holy Spirit expanded this Psalm in his heart, he realized what a blessed thing it is to be so intimately known by our Creator. In climax, we have these two verses, which are a prayer for God to do precisely the things David was complaining about in the first half of the Psalm! I think every believer can identify with this prayer, and actually, should pray it regularly. We all have thoughts that we realize aren’t “worthy of a disciple of Jesus Christ,” and we’re embarrassed to share them with anyone. The thing is, God knows them anyway, and confessing them to Him opens our heart to receive His healing and guidance. And the glorious thing is, we can rest assured that God delights to do the last thing mentioned in this prayer: lead us in His everlasting way.

I have been aware of God’s omniscience for as long as I can remember, but that awareness hasn’t kept me from doing things that I knew at the time weren’t pleasing to Him. However, it has been a major comfort when I was suffering, for one reason or another. There is nothing I can experience that God doesn’t know about or care about. That is absolutely incredible on the face of it, because God is the Creator of the universe. Why would He care about such an insignificant speck as me? However, the assurance that He does know and care is the joy and bedrock of my existence. Modern technology has enabled the “surveillance state,” but that doesn’t begin to approach God’s knowledge of us. That’s why I can thank God for my current cold, that I’m glad to say I’m recovering from. He doesn’t allow anything in my life that He can’t use for good, so my part is to cooperate with Him for that to happen.

Father, thank You for this reminder, and thank You for the awareness that my cold is on its last legs. Help me recognize what You want me to do each moment of today, whether that is getting something done or just resting, so that all of Your purposes for me may be accomplished on Your schedule for Your glory. Thank You. Praise God!

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Reading the Bible; October 18, 2024

Posted on October 19, 2024 by jgarrott

Psalm 119:130 The unfolding of your words gives light;
    it gives understanding to the simple.

Both the NIV and the ESV use “unfolding” here, but the Japanese says, “when the door to your Word opens.” Both of those translations have things to be said for them. “Unfolding” applies because, as many times as we might have read a passage, there are always more layers of meaning to bless us. That said, the image of a door opening is very easy to understand. Back when most documents were written on scrolls, that might not have “clicked,” but with bound books, it’s the most natural simile ever. (How will that change with the proliferation of electronic Bibles?) In any case, we have to “enter into” the Bible for it to have its full impact on our lives. Recently “meditation” has become a popular method of emotional control, but I’d be willing to bet that very few of those “meditating” are doing so on the Word of God! Jesus used the terminology of “abiding,” when He was teaching his disciples in the Upper Room just before His arrest and crucifixion. (John 15:1-8) We can’t just flip the Bible open for our morning devotions and forget what we’ve just read as soon as we close it. As James said very clearly, that’s just deceiving ourselves. (James 1:22) If we want the wisdom promised in this verse, we’ve got to take the Word in, mull it over, and then put it into practice. If we will do that, then we will surprise ourselves, not to mention the people around us, with God’s wisdom that manifests through us.

I certainly know this from experience! God gave me a high IQ, but that does NOT equal wisdom. Very early in my life I absorbed a lot of knowledge about the Bible, but didn’t let it work its way into my heart. I was the perfect example of a sophomore, a “wise fool,” as that word actually means. Now, I seek to lead and encourage others to take God’s word in, in truth and not just as a “religious exercise.” I rejoice to share God’s truth from the pulpit, but I don’t want anyone to think or feel that’s the only way they can receive it. I want a church that is so centered on Christ and filled with His Spirit that they would hardly notice if I disappeared!

Father, thank You for this past weekend when Cathy and I were out of town, and for how smoothly things went. That’s very encouraging! Help me continue to mentor the believers so that they may mentor each other, and all of them learn that You will talk to them every time they open their Bibles, and so press in enthusiastically to be the disciples You desire, building up Your Church for Your glory. Thank You. Hallelujah!

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Heritage; October 17, 2024

Posted on October 18, 2024 by jgarrott

Psalm 119:111 Your statutes are my heritage forever;
    they are the joy of my heart.

When I got to this reading my eyes went immediately to verse 105, because it is so familiar and so important for daily living, daily walking with God. However, reading on down, I really resonated with this verse. We don’t choose what our parents amass to pass on to us, and I feel incredibly privileged and blessed that my parents passed on to me a love for God and His Word that will stand me well for all eternity. I did have to be intentional in personal repentance and obedience, but I think few people have as clear a path to discipleship as I was given, even from birth. My parents recorded that at age 5, I came to my mother and said, “Mommy, I really, really love you, but I don’t love you nearly as much as I love Jesus.” Without question, that was because of the spiritual heritage my parents passed on to me. I wish I could say that I’ve always been a good steward of that heritage, but that would hardly be honest. Even so, I can’t really imagine what it would be like not to walk with the awareness of my Creator and hear Him speak to me daily as I read His Word. That gives me all the less excuses for my lapses! The two unique things about such a heritage are, first of all, that it is eternal, just as this verse says. “You can’t take it with you” doesn’t apply here! The second thing is that the more I share it with others, the richer my own store grows! I love to share God’s truth with people, telling them of His grace and love, as well as His holiness and righteousness. I wish that more people would accept it for themselves more readily, but I have to leave that in God’s hands. After all, I can’t save anyone!

I just realized that I have been writing from a very personal perspective, when the “Observation” portion of this devotional scheme is usually much more general. I guess that’s not surprising, since the author of this Psalm was intensely personal throughout. It does no good to treat the Bible as imply objective truth, without applying it personally. Like James said, that’s just deceiving ourselves. (James 1:22) My various lapses, as I’ve mentioned, have all come from the failure to apply the truth I’ve known to the situation I was in. I must not do that! God’s truth is true all the time, and if I act like it’s not, I’m walking in darkness (to go back to verse 105).

Father, thank You for this reminder. Thank You that we’re safely home from our trip to Osaka and Yokohama. Thank You for the various things You enabled us to get done yesterday, catching up after having been away. Thank You for the cold I seem to have brought home, and that it didn’t manifest before yesterday. I ask for wisdom in cooperating with Your healing, and also in not passing this around needlessly. I’ll need to drive Cathy to the dentist this morning and to her PD doctor this afternoon. If I’m simply to stay in the car at both places, give us both peace about that. I do ask for clear guidance in my message preparation for Sunday, that the sheep may feed on what You know they need, to build them up as Your disciples for Your glory. Thank You. Hallelujah!

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Music; October 16, 2024

Posted on October 17, 2024 by jgarrott

Psalm 118:14 The Lord is my strength and my song;
    he has become my salvation.

There were so many familiar verses that spoke to me in this passage that I didn’t know what I should write on, and then I realized that the reason all those verses were so familiar was because they have been set to music! There are many passages throughout the Bible that speak, directly or indirectly, of singing to God, and particularly so in Psalms, since it was the equivalent of a hymnbook today. The thing is, when we become aware of God’s goodness to us, in whatever form that might come, it is the most natural thing in the world to sing about it. Some people grow up in an environment that is non-musical to a degree that is hard for me to wrap my mind around, but even they quickly learn the joys of music addressed to God, even if they can’t participate directly. Many years ago we had a new believer who asked, in all honesty, “How do you do that? Make your voice go up and down, I mean.” There are also people who are medically tone deaf, though that is extremely rare, and there are plenty of people who “can’t carry a tune in a bucket,” as the saying goes. None of that negates the reality that God gave us music to gladden our hearts and give thanks and praise to Him. There are many styles and modes of music, but it’s a clear fact that Western music – and yes, even rock and heavy metal – has its roots in Church music. The point is to take our music back to its original purpose, and praise God with it. When we do that, we discover strength that can be had no other way, just as this verse says. Everything God gives us has a purpose, and the sooner we recognize that purpose and fulfill it, the more blessings we receive from whatever it is – and that certainly includes music.

I grew up in an extremely musical family, to the point that my brother-in-law once said, “I always wondered what it would be like to live in The Sound of Music, and now I know!” I was a vocal music minor in college, and my job in the Army was playing clarinet in the 25th Infantry Division band. Throughout my life music has been integral to who I have been, and I’m sure it will continue to be so into eternity. In recent years I have been privileged to translate many songs between English and Japanese, in both directions. It’s always interesting to see how some songs seem to come out better in other than the original language! That’s particularly striking between my two languages, because they’re so dissimilar in so many ways. Sometimes they are equally moving in both languages, but just different. All of that, to me, shows that the Holy Spirit is behind it all. I certainly know that singing His songs opens us up more to Him! I don’t think it’s an accident that there’s a whole genre of music called, Gospel, but the Gospel can be expressed in just about every genre, if we will yield that music to God.

Father, thank You for my musical heritage, and for the great joy of making music to You. May my life indeed be “a sweet, sweet sound in Your ears,” as the chorus expresses it, for Your glory. Thank You. Praise God!

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Rewards; October 15, 2024

Posted on October 16, 2024 by jgarrott

Psalm 112:10 The wicked will see and be vexed,
    they will gnash their teeth and waste away;
    the longings of the wicked will come to nothing.

This Psalm sings of the blessings that accrue to the righteous, and it closes with this verse about the evil person’s response to that. This reminds me of the saying, “The best revenge is success.” We’re seeing that on the public stage these days, with such things as Elon Musk’s spectacular success with his Starship rocket. That’s not to say that he is particularly righteous, and it may not be very “spiritual,” but it illustrates this principle. When we get caught up in feelings of “payback,” we waste a lot of physical, emotional, and even spiritual energy. As many places in the Bible tell us, the rewards of the righteous don’t always manifest themselves in this life, but we can rest assured that the ultimate rewards are in eternity, both for the righteous and the wicked. The thing to remember is that the wicked aren’t going to be happy about the rewards of the righteous, and that can make them escalate their attacks at times. When that happens, we are to keep trusting God and thank Him for His resolution to whatever circumstances we find ourselves in, knowing that our reward is sure.

I feel like I have been abundantly blessed, even though I am certainly not perfectly righteous. I have the incredible privilege of collecting some of the blessings that accrued because of my ancestors’ faithfulness. I am not to take any of it for granted, but keep giving God the glory for His grace toward me. I have indeed had people who were resentful of my blessings. I have tried to tell them that God loves them as much as He does me, if they will only open their heart to Him, but most such people have not been very receptive, sadly enough. As the hymn says, I should count my blessings, but not flaunt them. (The hymn doesn’t mention that last part.) I am not to parade my blessings, but rather, quietly give God the credit and thanks and praise that are due Him, knowing that I myself am a very small part in the equation.

Father, thank You indeed for Your overflowing grace toward me. Help me indeed respond appropriately at all times, so that Your purposes for what You pour out on me may be fulfilled, for Your glory. Thank You. Praise God!

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Optimism; October 14, 2024

Posted on October 16, 2024 by jgarrott

Psalm 105:43 He brought out his people with rejoicing,
    his chosen ones with shouts of joy.

This Psalm is another one of many that recount the history of Israel, but in contrast to some of the others, it focuses entirely on the good stuff. Some might say that’s unrealistic, but focusing only on the bad is even worse! It reminds me of the popular song from some years back, “Those Were the Days,” that speaks of remembering only the enjoyable things. If we do that too much, we won’t learn from our past mistakes, but if we focus only on the bad, we forget that God is loving and gracious, and we close our heart to Him. That is tragic! This verse is used as the first line of a little chorus from about 50 years ago that includes several of the verses ahead of this to make a very cheery, encouraging song. Sometimes we need exactly that! God does require repentance, but He intends joy for His people, and we need to trust Him for that and receive the joy.

I get irritated by things like everyone else, but the Lord has trained me over the years to come back to my awareness of His loving grace. A couple of years ago I was talking with a fellow pastor about having forgiven someone who had slandered me badly, and he said, “You have more faith than I do!” I don’t know if my optimism is genuinely the result of faith, or simply a personality trait, but I do know that at one point in my life I was depressed to the point of wanting to die. That’s no fun! At this point I need to be careful not to feel “superior” to others who aren’t optimistic, because their faith is at times deeper than mine. I’m reminded of C. S. Lewis’ character Puddleglum, in the Narnia series, who was a terrible pessimist but was one of the most dependable people you could find. At the same time, I do feel that expecting good is a much more enjoyable way to live life!

Father, thank You for this reminder. Thank You for all the good things You’ve done so far on this trip. Thank You that we’ll be heading on to our next stop today. We’ll be doing things and going places that are new to us. Help us not get lost, on any level, but be and do what You desire, on Your schedule, for Your glory. Thank You. Praise God!

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The Creator; October 13, 2024

Posted on October 14, 2024 by jgarrott

Psalm 104:13 He waters the mountains from his upper chambers;
    the land is satisfied by the fruit of his work.

This Psalm is a paean to God for the wonders of the natural world. It shows what today would be called a “primitive” understanding of the universe, but it gets one thing very right: God created and rules it all. I feel sorry for anyone who denies even “intelligent design” in how things are, because there is incredible complexity, beauty, grace and even humor in it all. It would be hard to convince me that God doesn’t have a sense of humor when he created some of the animals we see – or, for that matter, humans! There is a huge irony to the way some people want to worship the created universe, calling it Gaia or something of the sort, and yet deny the One who created it all. My only conclusion is that they want to justify their “natural” impulses, without accountability. Any parent can tell you that not all of a child’s natural impulses are wise or beneficial! That’s one of the biggest challenges of parenting, but God is the perfect Parent, not only letting us know what is right but doing so gently, and as firmly as necessary. As His children, we should delight in the universe in which He has placed us, and seek to hear Him as accurately and obediently as we can, for our blessing and His glory.

I love to take pictures of the natural world, carrying a camera just about everywhere I go. Buildings and such can make interesting pictures, but I’d much rather get shots of birds and sunrises and the like. I am constantly amazed at God’s infinite creativity. He certainly doesn’t seem to think much of monotony! Usually, when I go out walking with my camera, my heart is filled with songs of praise and gratitude to such a Creator. That certainly makes my life more enjoyable! That doesn’t mean I’m not interested in the scientific explanations for all the things I’m seeing, but it does mean that I keep the awareness of the Creator of it all as the foundation for my appreciation of it. Nothing says that God had to make His universe so beautiful! As I share my pictures with people, it is my prayer that they too will recognize the work of their Creator, and turn their heart to Him.

Father, thank You indeed for Your magnificent universe, and for the privilege of sharing it with others through photography. May my pictures and my words consistently point people to You, so that they too may walk in gratitude for Your amazing grace, for Your glory. Thank You. Praise God!

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