October 27, 2013

Posted on November 2, 2013 by jgarrott

Jeremiah 16:20-21 Do people make their own gods?
Yes, but they are not gods!”
“Therefore I will teach them—
this time I will teach them
my power and might.
Then they will know
that my name is the Lord.”

Reading the Old Testament prophets, the references to idolatry are endless. However, we are hardly less free from idolatry today. In America it seldom takes the form of “graven images,” but it is idolatry none the less. The rhetorical question that starts this, and the answer, are as true today as they were 3000 years ago. Today we most often make things that are essentially non-religious into idols. Things like money and pleasure and prestige and the like take priority over devotion to, or even thinking about, our Creator. Technology is a common idol today, and sex is a perennial favorite. It’s not that any of these things are intrinsically evil, it is that any time they come ahead of God in our hearts and minds, they become idols. However, God is incredibly patient, and He gives us opportunities to come to our senses and repent. It has always impressed me that in telling the story of the Prodigal Son, Jesus said he “came to his senses.” (Luke 15:17) When we are focused on anything besides God, we are in a sense insane, or at least unconscious. God allows things in our lives to wake us up, to snap us out of our dazed stupor so that we can recognize what really is important. He teaches us (causes us to know) His hand and His power, so that we may repent and turn to Him in humility and obedience.

Before I started on this trip I knew I would be encountering many people, even many I care about greatly, who are largely ignoring God, but having that confirmed is rather depressing. I am not to be judgmental, but rather, by word and by example, encourage them to open their eyes to see God, and thus to see themselves and those around them more accurately. I am not to be a thundering, condemnatory prophet, but I am to show them what is possible in a relationship with God, and how desirable that is. I am not to let them pull me away from my own devotion to God, whatever demands they make on my time or whatever temptations they wave at me. I am to remember my own weaknesses and so not condemn, but neither am I to excuse, because repentance is essential.

Father, You know how grieved I am, but I know that You are grieved even more. Help me speak Your truth in love, in Your timing to produce Your results. Help me indeed hate the sin but love the sinner, never excusing sin because of who commits it, but never failing to express Your love and grace. May Your Name be hallowed as Your kingdom comes and Your will is done, for Your glory. Thank You. Hallelujah!

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October 26, 2013

Posted on November 1, 2013 by jgarrott

Jeremiah 15:19 Therefore this is what the Lord says:
“If you repent, I will restore you
that you may serve me;
if you utter worthy, not worthless, words,
you will be my spokesman.
Let this people turn to you,
but you must not turn to them.”

This is an extremely important passage for anyone who would speak the Word of the Lord. There are probably plenty of young aspiring preachers who would like to speak the Word of the Lord, but they have to realize that prophetic preaching doesn’t happen just because you want it to. As Peter points out very clearly, no true prophecy originates with the prophet. (2 Peter 1:20) That’s why the Lord told even such a notable prophet as Jeremiah that he had to repent (or return, as the Japanese expresses it). The prophet’s will is definitely involved, but it must be to submit to God in all humility, rather than to say or do whatever the prophet wants. That is why Jesus, always our perfect example, prayed, “Not my will but Yours” in the Garden of Gethsemane. (Matthew 26:39) When someone has that attitude in truth, God will indeed cause them to stand before Him and speak through them, as though they were His mouth (which is how the Japanese expresses it here). The important thing from that point is the interaction with the audience, which means, those hearing. God told Jeremiah, “They may or may not come to your position on things, but you aren’t to compromise what I have told You so that you will agree with them.” The temptation to compromise for the sake of acceptance is always there, but must be resisted. The other side of that is that the truth must always be spoken in love. (Ephesians 4:15) Angry “prophets” have driven quite a few people away from God needlessly. However, the principle remains that prophets are responsible to God first, and not to the “itching ears” (2 Timothy 4:3) of their listeners.

This is something I’ve understood for a long time and have tried to live by, with varying degrees of success. I have had people leave my church because they didn’t like the Word I was speaking, but I have felt a real check on trying to chase them down. However, I must never sink to pride that “I speak the Word of the Lord!” I am to be grateful but never proud, much less arrogant. My focus is to be on God and allowing Him to use me, and not on me or even on those to whom I speak. I must also remember that what God speaks through me applies to me as much as it does to anyone else, and be humbly obedient. I must not be like some politicians, who seem to think they are exempt from the laws they make.

Father, thank You for this clear, strong Word this morning. There have been many distractions in the process, but You have been faithful. Thank You for yesterday and all it held. Thank You for speaking through me several times, particularly as I prayed in the group. Thank You for the assurance that Your Spirit was praying through me. May I be equally submitted and available to You today, however You want to use me, for Your glory. Thank You. Praise God!

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October 25, 2013

Posted on November 1, 2013 by jgarrott

Jeremiah 10:5 “Like a scarecrow in a cucumber field,
their idols cannot speak;
they must be carried
because they cannot walk.
Do not fear them;
they can do no harm
nor can they do any good.”

In my memory I had associated such pithy descriptions of idols with Psalm 115 or 135, but the Lord didn’t pull any punches through Jeremiah, either. What a graphic picture! Yet millions of people around the world are snared by such “scarecrows.” Interestingly, some Christians are afraid of idols, but it is clear that there’s not much Biblical basis for that. The problem is in what we believe, and the devil and his demons are quick to seize on our misunderstandings. It’s not that we are to be lax about spiritual warfare, but that we aren’t to be obsessed with physical idols. Of far more danger to the average person are the lying philosophies that seek to rob us of devotion to Christ. Among those is of course atheism, which often commingles with the others, but there is also hedonism and humanism of various stripes, not to mention all the lying religions that don’t espouse idols. For people in Western countries today, entertainment personalities are all too aptly called “idols,” and a quick look at the magazines in the supermarket checkout lane shows us that many people are indeed obsessed with them. They are about as important as scarecrows!

Living and ministering in Japan, which calls itself “the land of 8 million gods,” the question of idols has been pertinent since childhood. Many Shinto shrines and Buddhist temples are beautiful places indeed, and even as missionaries, my family took plenty of people to visit them as tourists. My task isn’t to campaign for their demolition, destroying them like the Taliban did the huge Buddhist statues at Bamiyan, but rather to liberate people from thinking they have power either for evil or for good, as this verse says. God has equipped me for that, as Paul points out in 2 Corinthians 10:3-5. That applies not only to false religions, but to every other lying philosophy. We are either bound or free in our minds and hearts, and my job is to set people free. (Luke 4:18-19)

Father, in this my first visit to the US in four years I am seeing so many who are bound by devotion to idols of all sorts, though they don’t think of them as idols or gods. I ask Your mercy! Father, pour Your Spirit out on this nation for repentance, so that those who have said they know You may know You indeed and turn from everything else to pure devotion to You. Nothing else will heal this land, and it is gravely ill. May every member of the Body of Christ “throw off everything that hinders and the sin that so easily entangles” (Hebrews 12:1) and follow You with their whole hearts, for Your glory. Thank You. Hallelujah!

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October 24, 2013

Posted on November 1, 2013 by jgarrott

Jeremiah 3:15 “Then I will give you shepherds after my own heart, who will lead you with knowledge and understanding.”

There could hardly be a more challenging, or more encouraging, verse than this for a pastor today. We tend to forget that “pastor” means “shepherd,” exactly as in this verse. Of course, in those days civic leaders were called “shepherds,” quite possibly because of the heritage of David, the shepherd boy who became king. However, the connection between leaders of sheep and leaders of people is a valid one. Actually, that is recognized today in the rather derogatory term “sheeple,” which indicates people who follow blindly without thinking things through. The fact of the matter is, it is the job of leadership to set a good course, so that those following don’t have to think about every detail. That’s why bad leadership can be, and is, so disastrous. It is worth noting that the Japanese uses “raise,” as in raising children or crops, where the NIV says “lead.” A leader after God’s heart will be raising his/her followers much as a parent would their children. This is challenging for a pastor today because it is such a high standard, but it should be encouraging, because God says that He will raise up such shepherds. Every pastor must realize that to be valid, they must be called and sent by God, and that by definition puts the ball in God’s court to provide the knowledge and understanding necessary for the job. That doesn’t mean we aren’t responsible to pursue that knowledge and understanding, because we are. We need to spend time in the Word daily, becoming increasingly familiar with it so that the Holy Spirit may easily bring it to mind to guide and encourage. We are to dig into the meanings of words and the cultural backgrounds of various passages. However, we are never to treat that as a merely academic discipline, but rather as both the nourishment and the tool kit needed to do our job. If we will do that, God will equip us to be effective shepherds indeed, for His glory.

As a pastor, of course, this hits very close to home. I am constantly aware that I can’t do the job at all, much less do it right, in my own wisdom and strength. However, I have experienced God’s faithfulness more times and in more ways than I could count, and I can rest in the assurance that He indeed cannot be untrue to Himself. I have been instrumental in several people going into pastoral ministry. Sometimes I think their motive might be, “I can do a better job that he does!” I need to help each one understand what a high calling it is, requiring the utmost humility as well as the assurance that if God can use a donkey, He can use us! (Numbers 22:28)

Father, thank You for Your amazing grace in calling me to be one of Your shepherds. May I fulfill that calling with the knowledge and understanding that only Your Spirit can provide, so that the people may indeed be raised up as Your flock, Your children, for their blessing and Your glory. Thank You. Praise God!

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October 23, 2013

Posted on November 1, 2013 by jgarrott

Isaiah 63:9 In all their distress he too was distressed,
and the angel of his presence saved them.
In his love and mercy he redeemed them;
he lifted them up and carried them
all the days of old.

The line of this verse that most grabs me is the first one: “In their distress He too was distressed.” (The Japanese has, “When they suffered He also suffered.) The point is that God is not some cold and distant Being, but is intimately concerned with His creation. That seems absurd to human intellect, considering the vastness of the universe, but it is a recurring theme throughout the Bible, culminating in John 3:16. I am personally reminded of the time I was lying in bed thinking about all the things I wished were different, when completely unexpectedly (since I wasn’t consciously praying) the Lord said to me, “How do you think I feel?” As absurd as it might seem, the God of the universe indeed has feelings, and He actively desires the best for His children. That makes it all the more tragic when we turn our backs on Him and violate what He tells us. That theme too is of course repeated throughout the Bible, because that’s the sort of foolish beings we are. The devil does all he can to convince people that God is mean and vindictive, and, sadly, at times he is successful. However, perhaps Jesus’ most touching parable is The Prodigal Son. (Luke 15:11-32) There can be no question that He painted a word picture of Father God for us, and it is a moving picture indeed. God knows and desires what is best for us, but He does not force it on us, even though it hurts Him deeply when we refuse it. Trusting obedience is not only the way to greatest blessing, happiness and satisfaction for us, it is the way to make God happy as well.

I’m sure I was taught this from childhood, but it didn’t really sink in until I was a parent. I would much rather suffer myself than to watch one of my children suffer! However, that was slow to make me really commit myself to total obedience to my heavenly Father. I had the same self-centered rebellious streak as the rest of mankind. However, the longer I have walked with Him as His child, while being a father and grandfather to others, both physically and spiritually, I have slowly learned better how to please Him, which is always the very best course for me. As a pastor, of course, I strive to teach that truth to my spiritual children, and through my blog, to all who will receive it. God loves us, and the more fully we grasp that and respond in loving obedience, the better it is for us all.

Father, thank You for Your love! Thank you for these days I’m having with my children and grandchildren. It is further training in this very truth, from various angles. Help me be Your agent to all I am with on this trip, so that Your Word may be spoken in love and Your will done, for Your glory. Thank You. Praise God!

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October 22, 2013

Posted on November 1, 2013 by jgarrott

Isaiah 59:21 “As for me, this is my covenant with them,” says the Lord. “My Spirit, who is on you, will not depart from you, and my words that I have put in your mouth will always be on your lips, on the lips of your children and on the lips of their descendants—from this time on and forever,” says the Lord.

God promises His Spirit to His people in various places, but here it is intimately connected to His Word. For the past hundred years or so of Church history, those who have stressed the Spirit have tended to go light on study of the Word, and those who have stressed the Word have tended to dismiss or disrespect the Spirit and those who stress Him. That’s wrong on every level! The Holy Spirit is the Author of the Bible, and as the song Love and Marriage (that seems so “quaint” now) says, “You can’t have one without the other.” Just as society seems bent on disconnecting sex from either love or marriage, many in the Church talk about the Bible, the Holy Spirit, and spiritual gifts as if they were entirely separate things, when they are not. Just as emphasis on the differences between/among the Persons of the Godhead – Father, Son, and Holy Spirit – has led to people “putting God in a box” and missing out on various blessings, failing to understand that the Word is the expression of the totality of God and not just one aspect has led to the same sort of thing. We cannot grasp the totality of the Word without the help of the Holy Spirit, (1 Corinthians 2:14) and we cannot really understand the Spirit and His operation in and through us without the Word. This verse is God’s promise of both, for all generations. How glorious!

Coming from a long line of people committed to the Word of God as I do, when I first started learning about the gifts of the Holy Spirit around 1973 it seemed the most natural thing in the world to me. I have been scorned by people in both “camps” by my insistence that there should be no camps, no divisions, because there is no division in God, even though He is indeed Father, Son, and Holy Spirit. Conservative Jews and others who scorn Christians for “worshiping three Gods” aren’t really so far off the mark at times. That is in no way to say that God is not Father, Son, and Holy Spirit, but it is to say that our minds cannot grasp all of Him at once, so we need to be careful we don’t exclude one part for another.

Father, thank You for this Word right now, as I am in the middle of tumultuous goings-on. Help me be an open channel of Your grace and mercy to all around me, whatever is going on, so that they may be blessed, encouraged, and strengthened, for Your glory. Thank You. Praise God!

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October 21, 2013

Posted on November 1, 2013 by jgarrott

Isaiah 56:7 “My house will be called
a house of prayer for all nations.”

This whole passage, verses 1-8, is a strong expression of the inclusiveness of God’s grace. This particular line is especially famous because Jesus Himself quoted it when He drove the merchants out of the Court of the Gentiles in Herod’s temple. (Matthew 21:12-13) However, it is not saying that God includes those who willfully rebel against Him. Foreigners and eunuchs were two groups that were specifically excluded by popular interpretation of Levitical Law, and God is saying, “Not so fast.” God has never excluded anyone for something that was beyond their control, such as the color of their skin (foreigners) or injury done to them by others (eunuchs). However, some are claiming today that sexual orientation is genetic, and therefore not a basis for exclusion. There is no valid science to back that up. The closest you could come to justifying deviant sexual orientation would be to focus on the psychological injury that is often connected with it. However, even there it is a matter of the individual’s response to the injury. There is no definite, “This childhood circumstance will result in this sexual orientation” that can be pointed to. Also, there is a big difference between sexual attraction and sexual activity. It I had “indulged” with everyone to whom I have been sexually attracted over the years, I would hardly be the happily married grandfather that I am, much less the pastor and counselor God has called me to be.

This is an issue specifically on this trip, when I will be seeing friends and relatives who live lifestyles that are rebellious toward God – and not just in the matter of sexual orientation. I am not to be holier-than-thou, but I am never to back down from the truth of God. That said, every expression of that truth, either in word or in action, must be in love or it does neither me nor the other person any good. (1 Corinthians 13:1-4) I am not to be judgmental, but neither am I to be neutral. Rather, by the grace of God I am to express His character under the guidance and power of His Spirit, so that people may be healed and delivered and the deceptions of the enemy demolished, for the blessing of individuals and the glory of God.

Father, thank You for bringing us this far on the trip successfully. I ask for clear guidance step by step, so that all of Your plans for us, not just for this trip but for the years to come, may be fulfilled on Your schedule for Your glory. Thank You. Praise God!

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October 20, 2013

Posted on October 20, 2013 by jgarrott

Isaiah 54:17 No weapon forged against you will prevail,
and you will refute every tongue that accuses you.
This is the heritage of the servants of the Lord,
and this is their vindication from me,”
declares the Lord.

This is a glorious promise for anyone in the throes of spiritual warfare. Whether we are confronted by physical weapons or by accusing tongues, we have the victory! It is interesting that we will condemn (NIV says “refute”) every tongue that accuses us. In other words, it is a sin before God to falsely accuse one of His children, and He will treat it as such. However, we need to be careful about that “falsely.” If we are doing wrong, and particularly if we are doing so knowingly, then we are taking ourselves out from under this promise. In a passage that I love because of the instructions for personal evangelism, Peter deals with this issue. (1 Peter 3:13-17) That is particularly interesting because some pretty severe persecution was going on in Peter’s day, and he himself was martyred. We are not to take this verse in Isaiah as a promise that we won’t have to suffer for our faith, but rather as assurance of our ultimate vindication. That vindication may come on this earth or we may not see it until heaven, but in either case it is sure. That should bring peace and joy!

I have certainly been involved in spiritual warfare, but not so intensely from the actions of others. The most painful times have been when my accusers were in the Church! I’ve never had someone attack me physically because of my faith, or really for other reasons either. I have been blessed! However, I am sharply aware of the many who are on the front lines of persecution, and I pray for them. They need to remember that this verse is ultimately true even if they and their families are slaughtered! I need to remember that my trials are far lighter than theirs and lift them up in prayer, as well as not complain about my own situation. As a pastor, I need to encourage those in my flock with this truth. If they are actively praying for those suffering physical persecution, they will be far less likely to be tripped up by the minor attacks they experience.

Father, thank You for Your grace and protection. You really have placed a hedge around me, and I am grateful. Help me not step out of it in any way, but rather extend Your invitation for others to come in as well, so that the schemes of the devil may be defeated and Your children enjoy all that You have prepared for us, for Your glory. Thank You. Praise God!

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October 19, 2013

Posted on October 20, 2013 by jgarrott

Isaiah 52:7 How beautiful on the mountains
are the feet of those who bring good news,
who proclaim peace,
who bring good tidings,
who proclaim salvation,
who say to Zion,
“Your God reigns!”

This well-loved Scripture has been set to music many times, but it still bears thoughtful consideration. When something becomes so familiar, we often stop really thinking about it. In the first place, why feet? I think that’s because feet are often overlooked, and are seldom considered things of beauty. Also, foot-falls indicate motion, progression. These people aren’t standing still! Also, these feet are on the mountains. Zion is indeed surrounded by mountains and hills that form a natural barrier, so the feet being on the mountains indicates that barriers are being crossed and overcome. However, the biggest point is the content of the good news that is conveyed, that is described as news of peace and happiness. The content is very simply, God is in control. We forget that so often! We get all tied in knots over one thing or another and forget that God is still God, and He is to be trusted. This is good news only when we are willing to let Him be in control. That is where the vast majority of our stress and conflict comes in. Generally speaking, we agree intellectually that God is God, but on the emotional level we feel like we need to be controlling things. When it becomes obvious that we aren’t in control, then we have multiplied stress. The news that “Our God reigns” is good news only when we receive it in humility and submission.

I am having training in this to a fairly intense degree right at this moment. Anxiety of one sort or another over our trip that starts tomorrow has robbed me of sleep. That’s all the more absurd when I consider all my years of walking with the Lord and seeing Him not only provide but also work out all sorts of details, often far better than I could have imagined. I am amazed at my own inability to let go of things and trust God with them! The past couple of days in particular He has worked out schedules beautifully, allowing me to get done everything that was needed, yet I find myself still uptight about today and tomorrow. I can only throw myself on His mercy and grace! However, I do know that His grace is sufficient for me (2 Corinthians 12:9), so that is good enough.

Father, thank You for pointing out to me so strongly that I’m still a work in progress. Help me continue to grow in applying the truth I know, living it out so that all of Your plans for me may be fulfilled, on Your schedule and for Your glory. Thank You. Praise God!

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October 18, 2013

Posted on October 19, 2013 by jgarrott

Isaiah 51:7-8 “Hear me, you who know what is right,
you people who have my law in your hearts:
Do not fear the reproach of men
or be terrified by their insults.
For the moth will eat them up like a garment;
the worm will devour them like wool.
But my righteousness will last forever,
my salvation through all generations.”

What comes immediately to mind as I read this is the junk being spewed out by the godless in America today. Anyone who stands for Biblical morality and justice is immediately branded as an intolerant bigot or worse, much worse. The more those who know righteousness pay attention to such nonsense, or worse yet, cower before it, the louder and more offensive it will become. As has been pointed out, when Christians stand up firmly for their rights, and for the right, generally speaking they win, in America at least. Sometimes it takes a while, but the lies of the enemy are ultimately shown to be what they are, lies and nonsense. The biggest weapon of the enemy is fear, generated by lies. Those who know righteousness and have God’s Word are to stand firm, proclaiming God’s truth in love and refusing the fear that tries to overtake them. We have God’s assurance, here and many other places in the Bible, that the end will be very good for us and very bad for them! We can rightly feel sorry for those who are so deceived, but we must not let feeling sorry for them cause us to give in to them for a moment. As the NIV expresses it in Isaiah 7:9, if we don’t stand firm in faith, we won’t stand at all.

This is a battle where most of the time I feel like I’m on the sidelines, because of living in Japan. I have never been verbally attacked for my position on marriage, for example, or really on any point of morality. However, I am an extremely interested observer of what is going on in the US these days. I am to participate in prayer, faithfully and with assurance, regardless of how bad the news seems to be. I will be in the US in another two days, and I need to stand firm against the flood of filth I know is there. I am to use this as an opportunity for intensive intercession, standing with those who know the truth and encouraging them as the Lord allows. I am to remember that “in all these things we are more than conquerors,” (Romans 8:37) and keep myself available to God as an instrument of His victory, however He chooses.

Father, thank You for the many, many ways You have demonstrated Your faithfulness in my life. Thank You for how I am seeing that in these days, as schedules fall into place and Your provision is manifested on every level. Help me rest, relax, and rejoice in You, in these last couple of days here and throughout the trip, so that indeed Your Name may be hallowed and Your kingdom come as Your will is done, for Your glory. Thank You. Hallelujah!

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