March 4, 2013

Posted on March 6, 2013 by jgarrott

Micah 6:8 He has showed you, O man, what is good.
And what does the LORD require of you?
To act justly and to love mercy
and to walk humbly with your God.

This dearly loved verse is a beautiful expression of the simplicity of what God asks of us. We tend to complicate things in our minds and by our actions, but when we compare our lives against the complexity of the universe, our lives are pretty simple indeed! Just as yesterday’s passage distilled everything to “Seek God and live,” this verse likewise restores order in confusion. God has given every human being at least a taste of His character. Secular psychologists have a hard time explaining why small children express a sense of fairness, as well as a tendency to altruism. They would find the answer in this verse, if they would only look! We instinctively know what it is to “do justice,” because that’s how God made us. We tend to complicate it with greed and lusts of all sorts. The same goes for loving mercy. The way to uncomplicate things is to walk humbly with our God, but that’s where we hang up. Pride is at the root of so much of the junk that is in the world! The reason small children express a pure sense of justice and mercy is that they haven’t complicated life with pride. Micah has just gone through a list of things that man might think of to try to earn favor with God, with the clear message that none of those are appropriate. This verse is a call to let go of prideful striving and receive God’s grace.

As I’ve been discussing with several people this week, this is a major issue in the resistance of Japanese people to the Gospel. They so want to be able to say they had a hand in their salvation! Their level of commitment to tasks, of dogged effort to achieve goals, is admirable on some levels, but it gets in the way of their receiving God’s free gift of salvation. They think, “This is too good to be true; there must be a catch,” and so they don’t receive. I cannot get through that barrier by my own wisdom or persuasive abilities, but nothing is impossible for God. That’s why I need to seek God, walking humbly with Him, and leave the results to Him.

Father thank You for this further confirmation of what You were saying to me yesterday. It’s been quite a week: not at all what I expected, but beautifully blessed. Thank You that I go home today. This week too has a full, unusual schedule. Help me do justice, love mercy, and walk humbly with You each moment of it, so that all of Your purposes, for me and for this week, may be accomplished on Your schedule for Your glory. Thank You. Praise God!

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March 3, 2013

Posted on March 5, 2013 by jgarrott

Amos 5:4-5 This is what the LORD says to the house of Israel:
“Seek me and live;
do not seek Bethel,
do not go to Gilgal,
do not journey to Beersheba.
For Gilgal will surely go into exile,
and Bethel will be reduced to nothing. ”

As I read this the image immediately came to mind of people flocking to one place or another that was “having revival,” seeking blessings for themselves. The problem with that is that they are indeed seeking blessings for themselves, rather that seeking the Lord for who He is. I recall several years ago when I was one of the interpreters for some people who came to Japan from Brownsville Church in Pensacola, Florida, to share the blessings they were experiencing. I didn’t feel there was anything particularly wrong about those who came and spoke in the meetings, but those who attended were certainly a mixed bag. Some were indeed seeking more of God, just as He tells us to do in this verse, but many came for “the latest thrill.” That’s not the right motive! We aren’t to seek places, we aren’t to seek manifestations, we are to seek God Himself. I keep coming back to Matthew 6:33, where Jesus tells us to “Seek first the kingdom of God and His righteousness.” God already knows what we need, and He’s certainly not stingy. He will supply everything we need, whether it’s physical, as in healing, material, as in finances, emotional, as in encouragement, or spiritual, as in deliverance. He does tell us to ask, seek, and knock, (Matthew 7:7-8) but that’s on the foundation of seeking God Himself first and foremost.

I have desired to visit places that were being touched by God, but finances, particularly, didn’t allow it. I now think that was probably a blessing from God! I need to be more earnest in seeking Him myself, so that I may be a more effective channel of His life to others. Right now I am in the Tohoku area of Japan, and one of the reasons I came was because of the reports I had heard of harvest among the people who have been so shaken by the earthquake and tsunami. God has graciously blessed me in this time, but I have not seen anyone commit to Him yet. In my years of ministry I have desired to see harvest, but have seen little. I realize that I need to seek Him and His kingdom, and let Him take care of the harvest. In my time here I have indeed seen hearts that are softened, and I rejoice, but God is able to soften hearts anywhere. I need to seek Him and live!

Father, thank You for this week, and for this Word to cap it off. Thank You that this is Sunday, and that people will be gathering all over this nation to worship You. I pray for each one, here in Tohoku, back in Omura, and everywhere in between and even outside of that area, that they would encounter You indeed. I pray for each one speaking, each one leading music, that they would seek You and let You take care of the rest. May Your Name be hallowed, Your kingdom come, and Your will be done, as perfectly on earth as it is in heaven, for Your glory. Thank You. Hallelujah!

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March 2, 2013

Posted on March 5, 2013 by jgarrott

Amos 3:8 The lion has roared–
who will not fear?
The Sovereign LORD has spoken–
who can but prophesy?

This is certainly an easy to understand metaphor! Put this way, it would seem absurd that anyone who has heard what God is saying would fail to express it. However, that seems all too common. If what we feel the Lord is saying is not “politically correct,” we hold our tongues out of a fear of man. I am certainly reminded of the recent speech by Dr. Benjamin Carson at the Presidential Prayer Breakfast. He was widely attacked for what he had the temerity to say with the president just two seats away from him, but when he was interviewed on the subject, the first thing he said was, “I serve God.” That’s the attitude every Christian should have! Throughout the Bible, men of God have “spoken to power,” often at the risk and sometimes at the cost of their lives. Few people might have the opportunity to “speak to power,” but we all have opportunities to speak to those who need to hear. I think we all would find that the more we are willing to communicate what God says to us, the more we will hear Him speaking! With our humanity there is always the risk of pride getting in the way of that, however. No one likes someone who boasts of their spirituality. Actually, such boasting makes their spirituality suspect! The focus is never to be on us, but rather on God, who is so gracious as to speak to us.

As someone who has had a gift for words from childhood, the pride angle of this is a major issue for me. Anyone who knows me knows I can’t help talking! I’ve got to be careful to keep my input to a minimum, speaking when prompted by the Holy Spirit but being silent when not so prompted. My words would have more weight if I would do so! Today I will be with a lot of people I’ve never met before. I must be fully available for whatever God wants to say through me to anyone, but I must not put myself forward. My focus must be on God, so that people may see and hear Him through me to whatever degree He may choose.

Father, thank You for the opportunity I have today, and for this very timely warning. Help me indeed hold back my words so that Your words may be spoken when and how You choose, for the blessing of my hearers and for Your glory. Thank You. Praise God!

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March 1, 2013

Posted on March 5, 2013 by jgarrott

Christian lifeHosea 14:9 Who is wise? He will realize these things.
Who is discerning? He will understand them.
The ways of the LORD are right;
the righteous walk in them,
but the rebellious stumble in them.

The progression in the Japanese is interesting, from wisdom to discernment to knowledge. (The NIV says understanding.) As is almost always the case, this is best read in the context of the rest of the Bible. We know from several passages that “The fear of the Lord is the beginning of wisdom,” so that is the starting point. If you fear God, then you should have enough wisdom to grasp what Hosea has been saying about the loving grace of God. When you grasp that, then you need to progress to more and more knowledge of God and His ways. The last half of this verse is particularly interesting. The Japanese says “The Lord’s road is flat, or smooth.” (The NIV just says “right.”) That’s the road which the righteous walk. The closer we are to the Lord, the smoother our way! However, the very things that make obedience to God so easy for the righteous, make the rebellious stumble. We’ve all seen people (and have probably done it ourselves) who complained about virtually every aspect of a Christian lifestyle. “Why do I have to do this? Why can’t I do that?” The simple answer to such questions is, “they make life easier and better.” However, the rebellious don’t want to hear that. My mother had an expression that paints a pretty graphic picture: “independent as a hog on ice.” A pig’s trotters aren’t well suited to walking on ice, and the more they struggle, the wilder the results. The rebellious are very much like that in trying to walk the smooth, level way of the Lord.

I’ve certainly had my times of slipping and sliding. That’s why I know my mother’s expression! As a pastor I deal with people in “hog on ice” mode all the time. I am not to look down on them, but always speak the truth to them in love. I need to remember that all correction needs to go back to a right relationship to God, because only then will people gain the wisdom, understanding and knowledge they need to get things right. Only then will the corrections come from within them, rather than being external rules to be resented and/or defied. Self-destructive behaviors dry up quickly when we grasp God’s love for us, how precious we are in His sight.

Father, thank You for this reminder. Thank You for Your patience with my many “hog on ice” moments. Help me be increasingly effective in leading others into a love for and knowledge of You that will keep them secure in Your way, so that the tricks of the enemy may be defeated and more and more people be brought into Your family, for their salvation and Your glory. Thank You. Hallelujah!

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February 28, 2013

Posted on March 5, 2013 by jgarrott

Hosea 10:12 Sow for yourselves righteousness,
reap the fruit of unfailing love,
and break up your unplowed ground;
for it is time to seek the LORD,
until he comes
and showers righteousness on you.

Many people desire that the Lord pour out revival, or they say they do, but they don’t necessarily act like it. This verse tells us how we should be living if we want revival. What it boils down to is, live with God and His kingdom as first priority, just as Jesus said in Matthew 6:33. The image, though agrarian, is still clear enough even for modern urbanites: plant what you want to come up. However, planting calls for plowing, breaking up the ground to receive the seed. All too often we get in ruts where we don’t think much about what we are doing, and in consequence, areas of our hearts and lives go relatively untouched for months, even years on end. God wants all of us! When rain falls on packed earth, not much soaks in, and so the ground gains little benefit. Conversely, it just gets eroded as the water runs off. If we want God to pour out His righteous Spirit, we need to be ready to let Him soak into us, or the results could be devastating. I have seen times when God clearly was moving, yet some people were just business as usual, essentially unmoved. That’s tragic! This verse is a call not to let that happen. We need to let the Holy Spirit show us in what areas of our lives He is less than welcome, and repent so that He may fill all of us.

This is an excellent reminder for me. Coming on this trip has to this point been a real exercise in “plowing,” because it is so far out of my usual routine. However, I came with that expectation, so it’s not surprising. The challenge now is for me not to miss any of the things God is pouring out, allowing them not only to soak in, but make real changes in how I think and act. I feel that my life has not been bad, but just incomplete. There are areas of prayer, for example, that I’m realizing I have slighted, to my own loss. I have desired to bear abundant fruit, but haven’t spent as much time as I could have cultivating the soil of my own heart. I’m not to focus on helping others grow to the point that I myself fail to grow!

Father, thank You for this reminder. It’s nothing new, yet I have let my heart get a bit dull. Thank You for the interactions that are sharpening me! Help me not try to set Your agenda, but rather be fully yielded and open to allow You to set mine, so that Your will may be done on Your schedule in every way, for Your glory. Thank You. Praise God!

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February 27, 2013

Posted on March 5, 2013 by jgarrott

Hosea 2:23 “I will show my love to the one I called `Not my loved one. ‘
I will say to those called ‘Not my people, ‘ ‘You are my people’;
and they will say, ‘You are my God.’ ”

As well as I know this was spoken to Israel, I still feel it applies to Japan as well. 450 years ago, Japan was briefly a hotbed of faith, with many turning to Christ. Then came what was arguably the most effective persecution in the history of the Church, and the Church in Japan essentially disappeared. Christianity was allowed again from the early 20th Century, but leading up to and during WWII there was again persecution. There was a brief period of harvest in the years immediately following the war, but since then, Japan has been justly called “the graveyard of missionaries,” with the lowest rate of return for time and resources invested of any country. However, Japan’s time of harvest will come again! The triple disaster of earthquake, tsunami, and nuclear meltdown almost exactly two years ago shook the people indeed, and in the directly hit region, hearts are open as they haven’t been for centuries. At the same time, God is raising up a new generation of young Japanese Church leaders who won’t be bound by past failures or methodologies. That’s why I feel this verse applies to Japan!

When I came on this trip to northern Japan I didn’t know what I would be doing or what God had in mind, but just two days into it I’m beginning to see, I think. I don’t feel I’m to uproot from Omura, certainly not at this point, but I do feel I’m to be a resource person for the harvest workers here. Exactly what shape that will take remains to be seen, but I am available for whatever God directs. Yesterday I got my first good view of the physical scars on the land, and I also got a view of the emotional scars. At the same time, I was blessed to interact with young Christian workers who are fully dedicated to Christ and His kingdom. That was an enormous encouragement! I believe God wants to multiply what He has placed in me, even as He has done to a degree in Omura, and I look forward to what He is going to do in the future.

Father, thank You for Your plans, and for the privilege of being included in them. In the short term, I don’t know what You have for me for the rest of this week, and I really don’t know what You have over the long term, but I know it will be good. Help me not be so caught up in the future, either in anxiety or in anticipation, that I fail to be fully available for what You have for me right where I am, in the present moment. May I be a useful tool in Your hands, so that Your will may be done in and through me, building up the Body of Christ for Your glory. Thank You. Hallelujah!

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February 26, 2013

Posted on March 5, 2013 by jgarrott

Daniel 12:3 “Those who are wise will shine like the brightness of the heavens, and those who lead many to righteousness, like the stars for ever and ever.”

When “the fear of the Lord is the beginning of wisdom,” it’s obvious that this is talking about those who fear, love, and serve God. Those who serve God don’t need to worry about recognition here on earth! One point to pay attention to here is that of making people righteous. When we think of “making people righteous” we tend to think of imposing a system or rules on them, but that is the righteousness of the Pharisees. Ours must go beyond that. Jesus said that our righteousness must exceed that of the Pharisees, which is to say, it must come from within. We make people righteous by teaching them to open their hearts to God and His Word by the Holy Spirit, so that they may do His will because they want to, not because someone else is watching. It’s interesting that this verse uses the word “stars,” because we call entertainers “stars,” and many people want to become “stars.” If you’re looking at it from the perspective of this verse, that’s not a bad ambition!

I don’t think I’ve focused on it especially, but I can’t deny that I enjoy recognition as much as anyone. Frankly, there are times when I’d like a bit more! However, that just demonstrates my need to grow more, to have my values and priorities straightened out further. At the same time, I need to recognize the need that everyone has to be appreciated, and express appreciation and recognition to others in a genuine, unforced way. As a pastor, that has been one of my weak points. People have been hurt by my failing to express appreciation to them personally, whether or not they want to be recognized in front of the church. It is a recognized weakness of the Teacher gifting to fail to recognize and reward progress, that is, partial success, saving such recognition for completion. That’s one of the reasons I can be sure I have Teacher gifting! However, that’s not to be an excuse. I am to encourage believers to work for the Lord and His recognition, but I am not to put them down for needing some human recognition as well. I am to be an Encourager, even if that isn’t one of my major gifts!

Father, thank You for this reminder. It’s very timely. It looks like my time here (in Miyagi Prefecture) will be very different from what I had imagined, but that is in Your hands. I pray that the time spent with the young man who will be driving me around today will be a real blessing to him, building him up and shaping him into the man You want him to be. I pray that I may interact with each person we encounter today as You intend, serving and encouraging, comforting and building up, so that they may see Christ through me, for their salvation and Your glory. Thank You. Praise God!

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February 25, 2013

Posted on March 5, 2013 by jgarrott

Daniel 9:23 “As soon as you began to pray, an answer was given, which I have come to tell you, for you are highly esteemed. Therefore, consider the message and understand the vision:”

How encouraging to know the answer was given when he began to pray! So often we think God isn’t listening, when He has already sent the answer; we just haven’t heard it yet. In line with that, the last part of the verse is also very significant. Daniel is told to consider/discern the message, and understand it. Sometimes God tells us things that in retrospect are clear enough, but at the time we can’t wrap our heads around them. The Bible is full of examples of God saying things that made no sense to those who heard them, but from our perspective are clear prophecies of things that indeed came to pass. When we pray, we need to trust that God is indeed answering, and ask Him to open our minds and hearts so that we can grasp the answer and respond accordingly. Some people reading this verse might say, “But Daniel was loved by God. I can’t expect that sort of attention from Him.” That’s forgetting John 3:16: “God so loved the world…” As Paul said so strongly in Romans 8:38-39, nothing can separate us from the love of God! It is by faith in Christ that we open ourselves up to receive that love, and any parent can testify that they want to do the very best for the children they love.

I have the enormous advantage of having been raised in a home where love, for God and for one another, was foundational. That’s probably why prayer comes so naturally to me: I don’t doubt that God loves me. I need to remember that His answers aren’t always immediately obvious, however. That particular point is one I sometimes have trouble getting across to others, so I need to remember to use this verse to that end. I often have people call me in a panic, sure that their immediate circumstances are going to end in disaster. My chief task is to get them to lift their eyes off of themselves and their limitations and fix them on Jesus, who went through far more than they are going through, and did it for their sake. (Hebrews 12:1-2)

Father, thank You for this reminder. I expect to be ministering in the next week to people who have been through a great deal, but most of them will not be Christians. I ask You to give me wisdom and discernment to point them to You so that they may receive the hope that is found in Christ alone, for their salvation and Your glory. Thank You. Praise God!

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Note

Posted on February 24, 2013 by jgarrott

I will be helping out in the Tohoku area of Japan (Miyagi Prefecture) for the next week, returning to Omura Monday night the 4th. I will continue to write daily, but things won’t get posted until after my return. Blessings!

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February 24, 2013

Posted on February 24, 2013 by jgarrott

Daniel 9:14 The Lord did not hesitate to bring the disaster upon us, for the Lord our God is righteous in all He does; yet we have not obeyed Him.

As many have noticed, it is very significant that Daniel, a personally righteous man, confessed the sins of his unrighteous nation. He did not get in a huff because he had to suffer along with everyone else. The incident recorded in Luke 13:1-5 comes to mind. When told of people who had met with disaster, Jesus mentioned another disaster and said, “Unless you repent, you too will all perish.” We forget the holiness of God to our peril! The Bible is very clear that we are all sinners, and the wages of sin are death. (Romans 6:23) The nature of our sin is important to recognize. The NIV just says, “We have not obeyed Him,” but the Japanese expression is a bit more illuminating: “We have not listened and obeyed.” Much of the time we aren’t even listening to God! We are so prone to think we are right, when we don’t even check in with the absolute standard of rightness and righteousness. That’s why it’s so important to start each day with prayer and reading the Bible. Even with that, we often don’t get it right, so grace is absolutely essential. Often we say we only want what we deserve, but we really don’t, because apart from Christ, we deserve eternal destruction! Until we understand that, we can’t understand just how amazing God’s grace really is.

This is the story of my life. As I am reminded fairly frequently, God had to tap me on the shoulder and get me to turn around and look in a spiritual mirror before I could recognize what a mess of sin and pride I really was. It was devastating! I wish I could say that it cured me forever of failing to listen to and obey God, but that’s hardly the case. I have my share of problems, but I have no grounds to complain about them. Rather, I am to look at the overwhelming weight of blessings and marvel at God’s grace. I wish I remembered that more consistently! As I deal with others who are caught up in their problems, as they perceive them, I am not to put them down for failing to acknowledge God, but rather gently help them lift their eyes to Him. I am not to run around condemning, but I should not be afraid to point out that someone’s situation is the result of their own actions. That doesn’t mean it’s inescapable, but it does call for repentance. Without repentance, we can’t appreciate the grace of God.

Father, there are lots of little things that fight to irritate me. Help me put them all into perspective, recognizing that I deserve far worse than I get. As the saying goes, help me maintain an “attitude of gratitude” at all times, so that resentment won’t block my ears from what You are saying to me. Thank You. Praise God!

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