September 7, 2013

Posted on September 10, 2013 by jgarrott

Psalm 52:8 But I am like an olive tree
flourishing in the house of God;
I trust in God’s unfailing love
for ever and ever.

Poetry is all about metaphors, and those metaphors are important. We sometimes forget that the Psalms are all poems, and so are loaded with metaphors. David’s metaphors tell us about life back then as well as communicate truths we need to apply today. His choice of an olive tree to represent himself is particularly significant. Olive trees aren’t spectacular: they aren’t particularly large or colorful. However, they have two very important characteristics: they are hardy and long-lived, and they are useful. There are olive trees around today that were standing during the crusades, hundreds of years ago. They grow well under conditions that would cause many other varieties to wither and die, and they’re obviously in it for the long haul. Comparing yourself to an olive tree means you won’t give up, regardless of what life throws at you. Not only that, under those harsh conditions olives bear fruit: useful, valuable fruit. Olive oil was one of the pillars of both the diet and the economy back then. Today its economic impact is lessened, but it’s still one of the healthiest of dietary oils. In other words, if you are an olive tree, you’re good for something, you are fruitful. Olive trees might not be very ornamental, but they are very practical. We run into too many people who would rather be ornamental than practical! It is also significant that David places himself as an olive tree in the house of God. We don’t usually think of trees growing in church buildings! However, the first temple was built by David’s son Solomon, so David’s image is of the tabernacle, a tent, and there might even have been a few trees in the courtyard area of the tabernacle when David wrote this. The point is that David wanted to be close to God. That’s a combination we all need to aim for: fruitful, and close to God!

I think I am honest in saying that is my heart’s desire, but He is the judge of how close I am to fulfilling it. How much longevity I have on earth is again His business (though I’m to be a good steward of my body) but I have His promise that I will indeed live forever in His presence, long after this earth is no more. The question then becomes one of my usefulness, my fruitfulness while I am here. In John 15 Jesus used a grape vine rather than an olive tree for His metaphor, but He made it very clear that we can’t be fruitful unless we are properly attached, related to, Him. That has to be my focus. I am to keep pressing in to Him, day in and day out, 365/24/7. That’s where I have room to grow, as does everyone. My rate of spiritual growth will vary from time to time and season to season, but I’ve got to keep growing all the time, soaking in the sunlight of His presence, drinking in the living water of His Spirit, and absorbing and digesting the nutrition of His Word.

Father, thank You for being such a good gardener! Thank You for pruning as needed, as well as providing everything I need for growth and fruitfulness. Help me not reject any of it, even when the pruning is painful. May I indeed be persistently fruitful, close to You, for Your pleasure and glory. Thank You. Praise God!

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September 6, 2013

Posted on September 7, 2013 by jgarrott

Psalm 44:3 It was not by their sword that they won the land,
nor did their arm bring them victory;
it was your right hand, your arm,
and the light of your face, for you loved them.

In reading this I can’t help but get a strong image of America. America is second only to Israel as a nation that has proclaimed allegiance to the God of Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob, but America has done it by choice, rather than being the physical descendants of the Patriarchs. In historic terms, America has had a meteoric rise on the world stage, faults and all, and I am convinced this verse is the reason. However, most Americans have lost sight of this, and many are actively denying it. They attribute American success to “American genius,” or some such humanistic thing. However, we forget God to our peril. Freedom of conscience was one of the founding principles of the nation, yet today government seems to smile on every belief system except a Biblical one. As Israel discovered well over 2000 years ago, that is the most dangerous course a nation could possibly take. There are calls for national repentance, but they are still few, and precious few are coming from anyone in government. I believe America is faced with the choice of repent or perish, as unthinkable as that might seem. That is certainly not a trivial matter.

I have been increasingly caught up with America’s national direction over the past 10 years or so, and it seems to me now that I was slow to get in on the game. America’s deviance from her founding principles goes back much further than that. It is most shocking in government, but that is not the origin. As has been said, people get the government they deserve. Since the ’60s – and yes, I am a boomer – America has been focused on sensuality, hedonism and license, and she is certainly bearing the fruit of that right now. I was not so actively involved in that decline, but then I was not an innocent bystander either. I, too, need to repent! I need to be active in prayer, as well as proclaiming the truth in love. Preachers who never mention sin are doing no one any favors! I can only pray that America is not the Babylon mentioned in so many Biblical prophecies, though that increasingly looks to be the case. I am to keep my eyes on God, and on Jesus Christ the only Savior, and walk in personal faithfulness as well as encouraging others to do the same. Living in Japan as I do, that might seem to have little effect on America, but I do have influence on some, and there is no limit to the the power and scope of prayer.

Father, thank You for this Word. Thank You that we’ll be able to visit the US next month, for the first time in four years. I pray that our time there would be useful to You in Your kingdom, influencing as many as possible to consider their daily lives and choose to walk in genuine repentance and obedience to You, for their own sake and for the sake of the nation, for Your glory. Thank You. Praise God!

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September 5, 2013

Posted on September 6, 2013 by jgarrott

Psalm 34:8 Taste and see that the LORD is good;
blessed is the man who takes refuge in him.

O: I would have trouble counting even the songs I know that are made from this Psalm, and I’m sure there are many more that I don’t know. As an acrostic poem its creation was an intellectual exercise for David, but that doesn’t mean it was any less genuine and heartfelt. I’m reminded of when my wife Cathy has to go through a medical procedure that requires her to lie still for an extended period of time. She uses the time by praying through the alphabet, praying for people or situations that start with each letter. The procedure is always finished before she’s through! The preface to this Psalm indicates David wrote it when he had plenty of reason to be thankful to God, and it really shows. David had tasted God and found Him to be good indeed! The image is an interesting one, familiar only because David used it here, and somewhat awkward to translate. (The Japanese I use says, “Taste the goodness of the Lord.”) I can’t really imagine licking God, much less taking a bite out of Him! However, the metaphor is apt because there is risk in tasting: maybe it will taste nasty, or even be poisonous! Thinking about God from a distance is never enough; we’ve got to get up close and personal with Him. The good news is that a true taste of God never disappoints!
A: I have certainly tasted God over the years, which is why I so look forward to the full experience of Him in heaven, and why I recommend Him so enthusiastically to others. So many people do seem to try to hold God at a distance, failing to draw close to Him in full devotion. What a waste! I find many are afraid to draw close to God because they are so aware of their own sinfulness. I’ve heard people say, “The roof would fall in if I walked into the church.” Those are exactly the people Jesus came to save! (Luke 5:32) I am to extend to all the invitation expressed in Hebrews 10:22: “Let us draw near to God with a sincere heart in full assurance of faith, having our hearts sprinkled to cleanse us from a guilty conscience and having our bodies washed with pure water.” I need to help people see that we can’t draw near to God on the basis if our own righteousness, but only on that of Jesus Christ, who loved us and gave Himself for us, so that we might taste God indeed.
P: Father, thank You for this clear reminder. Thank You for the concert we had here last night, and for what You did through the music, the testimonies, and the message. I pray that the little taste many people got of You last night would truly make them hungry for more, and they would choose to follow up on that hunger and receive all that You have for them. Help me be increasingly effective in communicating the good news of Your grace, so that as many as possible may receive, repent, and believe, for their salvation and Your glory. Thank You. Hallelujah!

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September 4, 2013

Posted on September 6, 2013 by jgarrott

Psalm 29:11 The LORD gives strength to his people;
the LORD blesses his people with peace.

I don’t know about Hebrew, but Japanese has different terms for external peace, such as between nations, and internal peace, that is, peace of mind. The term used here is peace of mind. In the final analysis, that is what matters to each individual. It is possible, though not easy, to have peace of mind in very unpeaceful circumstances, but if you lack peace of mind you can’t enjoy life no matter how peaceful it might be. Society in general is much more focused on getting power, which this verse says God supplies to His people. However, no amount of power will bring true happiness without peace of mind, and that is certainly a gift of God. Paul certainly hit the nail on the head when he said that the peace of God transcends human understanding. (Philippians 4:7) Incidentally, in Japanese that statement too specifies peace of mind. Such peace of mind is possible only when we stop being at war with God, our Creator. That’s what it’s talking about in Romans 5:1, where it says “we have peace with God through our Lord Jesus Christ.” Peace of mind is available to anyone, but only if we will accept that Jesus died for us because we needed to have our sins atoned for. The opposite of peace of mind is anxiety, and in Deuteronomy 28:65 it says that one of the consequences of rebellion against God is an anxious mind. Once again, inner peace is possible only when we stop fighting God. God will supply all the strength we need, as well as all the peace, but our focus must be on loving obedience to Him.

This is an interesting insight when I was just struggling with insomnia! At this point I am not in active conflict with God, but I have a lot of room for growth in releasing things to Him in trust. It’s not that I am consciously trying to do things my way, rather than God’s, but simply that I have trouble letting go of them. That’s why children seem to sleep so peacefully: they trust. The irony of it all in my case is that I have experienced God’s trustworthiness more times and in more ways than I could count, yet I still run things through my mind again and again, unable to release them to God. That’s not very childlike! It doesn’t matter what issues I face, none of them are impossible for God. (Luke 1:37) I need to grow in that knowledge and assurance, and lead others to do the same.

Father, thank You for this clear Word, and for the circumstances that make me open to receive it. I pray that everything about today would flow as You desire on Your schedule. I ask particularly that You keep me from being so caught up in the next thing that I fail to appreciate and enjoy right now, whatever “right now” might be. May I indeed release everything to You in all gratitude, so that Your peace will guard my heart and my mind in Christ Jesus. Thank You. Praise God!

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September 3, 2013

Posted on September 6, 2013 by jgarrott

Psalm 23:1 The LORD is my shepherd, I shall not be in want.

Every line of the 23rd Psalm is very familiar and very rich, to the point that it is difficult to choose just one verse from it to focus on. However, this first verse is indeed a fitting introduction for the rest of the Psalm, because the expression “be in want,” can apply to every area of our lives: physical, emotional, and spiritual. It has often been pointed out that David knew all about being a shepherd from personal experience. He literally risked his life for his sheep, taking on a lion and a bear when he was just a teenager. (1 Samuel 17) From that vantage point, stating that the Lord Yahweh, the covenant God of Israel, was his shepherd, was a powerful statement indeed. As a shepherd it was David’s job to see to it that the sheep were protected and their needs were met. That didn’t mean they were never hungry or thirsty, but it meant that when they were, he was responsible to get them to good pasture and accessible water. Often that meant getting the water himself out of a well and putting it in troughs so the sheep could drink, as we are told many times in various stories of the patriarchs. In no way was being a shepherd a passive job! Saying that the Lord is our shepherd means that He is actively interested in every area of our lives, for our good. Every part of the rest of the Psalm flows logically from this one statement, so we do well to keep it in our hearts.

I’ve never herded 4-legged sheep, but I’ve pastored a flock for several decades! That has given me the very sharp awareness that I cannot personally supply everything the flock needs. Hebrews 13:20 speaks of Jesus as the “great Shepherd,” and in 1 Peter 2:25 He is called “the Shepherd and Overseer of your souls.” Peter in particular understood that analogy, because Jesus had specifically told him to feed His sheep. (John 21:15-17) I am an under-shepherd, as is every merely human pastor, and the best I can do is distribute what Christ supplies. That’s not to say there isn’t work involved, just as David doubtless had to dip water from wells. However, I must never think for a moment that I can supply anything good from just my own resources.. The minute I start trying to do that, I run dry and crash. Every pastor has experienced that multiple times! I am to focus on being rightly connected to the great Shepherd so that He can lead me to the provision that I am to pass on to the sheep. If I will do that in all faithfulness, the flock will be built up in every way, for their blessing and God’s glory.

Father, You know the “bears” and “lions” I face right now. Keep me from thinking I have the strength and wisdom to deal with them apart from You, but help me rest in the assurance that nothing can stand against me when I am abiding in Christ. Help me be an effective under-shepherd, guiding each individual to look to You and trust You, so that all of Your plans for us, individually and collectively, may be fulfilled for our blessing and Your glory. Thank You. Hallelujah!

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September 2, 2013

Posted on September 6, 2013 by jgarrott

Psalm 20:7 Some trust in chariots and some in horses,
but we trust in the name of the LORD our God.

In the particular Japanese translation I’m using it says “boast of” where the English says “trust in,” and the image rose in my mind of young guys boasting of their “wheels.” Since it’s talking about military equipment it’s equally, if not more, applicable to governments talking about their weapons of all sorts. The point is that who you serve is far more important than the tools you have. Militarily, the Bible is filled with stories of people who triumphed with “inferior” equipment because they were depending on God. David with his sling against Goliath is probably the most famous of these, but there are many more, all the way down to the jawbone of a donkey! (Judges 15:15-17) All of us are involved in conflicts of various sorts, whether we view them in those terms or not. Many people fight illness with the latest medicine but forget that healing comes from God. It’s not wrong to have the best equipment in any struggle, but we must remember that victory is in God’s hands. If we want to stand firm, as the next verse talks about, our focus needs to be on God above and before everything else.

This is an extremely timely reminder, given recent developments in my wife, Cathy’s, health picture. The thing is, the problems themselves are not new, but with shifting diagnoses, treatment for one thing conflicts with another, making for confusion and anxiety. We are to respect and listen to the various doctors involved, but remember that we serve the Great Physician, and refuse to be anxious. That is easier said than done! We need God’s wisdom for what treatments to accept on what schedule, knowing that His plans are to prosper and not harm us. (Jeremiah 29:11) At this point Cathy is very tired of seeing so many different doctors, but there too we need to remember that they are simply members of God’s team, and keep our focus on Him rather than them.

Father, thank You for this reminder. Thank You for each doctor and support person. I pray that their interaction with us would draw them to You as they see Christ in us. I do ask for wisdom as we evaluate all the various recommendations, and I pray for Your schedule for it all. You know the things we have planned, and how important they are for us, and You also know what is the very best for us. Help us rest in that knowledge, trusting You even when we can’t see what is best ourselves. Help us operate at all times wearing Your armor and trusting in You, so that we may stand firm indeed, (Ephesians 6:13) for Your glory. Thank You. Hallelujah!

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September 1, 2013

Posted on September 6, 2013 by jgarrott

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

Understanding this verse requires knowing the feelings about names and naming back in David’s day, and really, throughout the period the Bible was written. A name was seen as integral with that person’s essence, so to speak, so great care was taken in the naming of infants, and it was a matter of extreme importance when God gave someone a new name, as in Abram becoming Abraham, and Jacob becoming Israel. That is to say, knowing God’s Name was equivalent to knowing God. Actually, today very few people think of God in terms of His covenant Name of Yahweh, and those who think of Him in terms of the mistranslation of that Name, as Jehovah, are generally mistaken in various other ways as well. However, today we know and love the Name of His Son, and in whatever form – Jesus, Yesu, Yeshua, or whatever – it is powerful indeed. That Name means “Yahweh is salvation,” and right there we have the key to life itself. The better we know Jesus and the reality expressed in His Name, the more we will trust Him, the more we will depend on Him. He indeed does not discard those who seek Him, just as this verse says.

I had the great privilege of growing up with an understanding of the Name of the Lord, and though my obedience has been far from perfect, that knowledge has been a rock, a literal lifesaver for me. I can hardly imagine what my life would have been had I turned more actively away from Him, and I don’t really want to think about it. As it is, I can say with the words of the song, “The longer I serve Him, the sweeter He grows.” Life is not a picnic, and as I have quoted a couple of times recently, growing old isn’t for wimps! Jesus’ words in John 16:33 that I referenced just a few days ago are certainly true, and they are a source of glorious comfort and peace for all who indeed know Him.

Father, thank You for the message You’ve given me for this morning of “Choosing Faith.” Thank You for the opportunity You’re giving me even now to choose to believe and trust You, regardless of what doctors or anyone else says. Thank You for the incredible privilege of knowing You through Your Son and by Your Spirit. Thank You that Your grace is sufficient for me, no matter what. May I be an open channel of that grace to all around me, in word and deed, so that they may be be encouraged, built up, and drawn to know You better, for their blessing and Your glory. Thank You. Praise God!

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August 31, 2013

Posted on September 1, 2013 by jgarrott

Psalm 8:9 O LORD, our Lord,
how majestic is your name in all the earth!

Along with verse one that says the same thing, this frames this Psalm of David that was quoted by Jesus on Palm Sunday. (Matthew 21:16) I am no Hebrew scholar, but I find it very interesting that where the English says “majestic,” the Japanese says “powerful.” That is striking when we consider what was being said about Jesus on Palm Sunday. It is fairly safe to assume that the children then were saying what they had heard the adults saying on the way in to Jerusalem, and Matthew records that as, “Hosanna to the Son of David!” “Blessed is he who comes in the Name of the Lord!” “Hosanna in the highest!” (Matthew 21:9) In other words. Palm Sunday was all about the Name of the Lord, and associating Jesus with it. That Name is indeed powerful, as is the Name of Jesus, as many, many people have discovered. That’s why God included the command not to use His Name lightly, in the famous 10 He gave through Moses. That’s also why the devil tries so hard to get people to dishonor the Name of the Lord, in every culture that is familiar with that Name. It is interesting, and I think significant, that there is no tradition or culture of swearing, cuss words, in Japan. America has gone so far that some people can’t seem to open their mouths without producing a stream of filth. We lose a great deal when we lose sight of the holiness and power of the Name of the Lord. I have Messianic friends who go so far as to write G_d so as to avoid misuse, but I don’t think that is called for (obviously). However, every time we use the Name of the Lord, we need to be aware of what we are saying any time we speak that Name. If we don’t understand and believe, the devil and his minions aren’t going to flee, but if we are operating fully in all that it means that we are given the authority to speak in that Name, then nothing can stand against us.

This is something I am still learning. It doesn’t work like Harry Potter incanting something arcane, but it is much deeper and infinitely more powerful (since Harry Potter is fiction to begin with). I have seen some remarkable things happen in relation to the Name of the Lord, and I have heard of far more. I need to walk more and more closely in step with the Holy Spirit (Galatians 5:25) so that the character of Christ may accurately be displayed through me, and I indeed do what Jesus did, and even more. (John 14:12)

Father, You know how I desire to cast out spirits with a word, setting people free, yet I have seen too little of that. Help me continue to grow so that I will be like Paul rather than like the sons of Sceva. (Acts 19:13-16) May I be an effective carrier of the Name of the Lord Jesus Christ, so that Your will may be done on Your schedule for Your glory. Thank You. Hallelujah!

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August 30, 2013

Posted on August 31, 2013 by jgarrott

Psalm 7:9 O righteous God,
who searches minds and hearts,
bring to an end the violence of the wicked
and make the righteous secure.

This sounds like a prayer for today! Actually, it is a prayer for all the ages of mankind on earth, because mankind is prone to sin, and we endure the consequences. What we don’t recognize so easily, however, is when we fit into the category of “the wicked.” We tend to justify everything we do, but our sins and disobedience to God have consequences and repercussions just like those of anyone else. We need to be aware that God is indeed one who “searches minds and hearts,” and listen up when He points out anything to us of which we need to repent. We do need to pray for protection, for ourselves and for others, from the acts of those who are actively wicked, but we also need to recognize that “there, but for the grace of God, go I.” The best thing we can pray for those who are actively evil is repentance and faith. There is no sweeter revenge against an enemy than turning him into a brother!

Modern information systems flood us with stories and images of unspeakable evil, and that can be dangerous. The biggest danger is despair, giving up on the world, but that is seeing the problems as bigger than God. That obviously is a failure of faith. This has been a problem from time immemorial. As it says in Hebrews 2:8-9, we do not currently see everything subject to Christ, that is, lined up and behaving correctly, but we can see Christ with the eyes of our hearts, and that should give us hope. I have had a real training period in this for the past few years, as evil has been happening in and through the US government in ways and to degrees I would not have dreamed. I am not to stop praying for protection and relief for those suffering from the evil, and I am to pray that those inflicting the evil be both hindered and brought to repentance. At the same time, I am to be careful that I am not an instrument of evil myself, but rather a channel of God’s love and grace, for His glory.

Father, I do get overwhelmed at times by the sheer volume of information about evil that comes pouring in. Thank You that You are growing me in my response to it all, in what to pay attention to and pray about, and what to simply let pass. I continue to pray as Jesus taught us, that Your Name would be hallowed, Your kingdom come, and Your will be done perfectly, even right here on earth. That covers everything! Help me trust You actively, offering myself as Your instrument for destroying the works of the devil (1 John 3:8) but recognizing that it only happens by Your power. May I be an instrument of Your comfort, encouragement and peace for all who love You, for Your glory. Thank You. Praise God!

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August 29, 2013

Posted on August 31, 2013 by jgarrott

Job 1:21-22 “Naked I came from my mother’s womb,
and naked I will depart.
The LORD gave and the LORD has taken away;
may the name of the LORD be praised.”
In all this, Job did not sin by charging God with wrongdoing.

In a number of ways the Book of Job is a mystery, but it is a compelling one, because it confronts the issue of human suffering. Job’s three friends spout pious platitudes, but for them all to be true, sin and suffering would have to be in a direct cause/effect relationship, and life shows us that isn’t so. What Job teaches us is that no one is so good as to completely escape suffering, and God is more than able to turn any suffering around and bless us immensely. Job’s attitude, expressed here, is that God is God and He is good, and that should settle all questions whether we understand things or not. Dealing with his friends and his wife takes him on quite a roller coaster ride of emotions, but he doesn’t depart from his fundamental decision to trust God. We should all learn from and emulate that!

I deal with suffering constantly, in my own life and in the lives of those around me, so I need to keep this in sharp focus. I find I quote John 16:33 as often, or more often, than any other verse in the Bible: “I have told you these things, so that in me you may have peace. In this world you will have trouble. But take heart! I have overcome the world.” Andrae Crouch’s song, Through it All, is as true a song as I think I’ve ever sung. The problem is, so many people don’t respond to the issues in their lives the way Job did. They accuse God of all sorts of things and close their eyes and ears to what He is trying to teach them, missing countless blessings in the process. I have learned, through my own 65 years and through watching others, that whether we will have troubles in life is not an option; it is strictly a matter of what we will do with those troubles, how we will respond to them. That’s why Jesus’ words are so important. I have learned from experience that the Bible is true. (Surprise! – not) When we fix our hearts on Christ we can have peace and joy, and all the other fruit of the Spirit (Galatians 5:22-23) even in the middle of our troubles. The difficulty for me as a pastor and counselor is that many people don’t want to hear that. They feel they have a right to their misery! I have had people leave this church over that very point, along with the matter of our being responsible to forgive others so that we may receive forgiveness. (Matthew 6:14-15) I cannot force anyone to receive God’s grace, but I am called to extend it in all love and humility.

Father, You know the faces that came up as I was writing that. I ask Your grace and mercy for them so that they may be set free from the prisons they have built for themselves. May I be an effective channel of Your truth to all, so that in receiving Your truth they may be set free, for their salvation and Your glory. Thank You. Praise God!

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