February 2, 2013

Posted on February 5, 2013 by jgarrott

Isaiah 46:4 Even to your old age and gray hairs
I am he, I am he who will sustain you.
I have made you and I will carry you;
I will sustain you and I will rescue you.

These days, this should be called the “Boomer Blessing!” People have been aging ever since the Garden of Eden, or at least since Adam and Eve were thrown out of the garden. Our cells forget how to replicate and renew themselves, and as a result our bodies wear out. Those who are in Christ have perfect, resurrection bodies to look forward to, but until then, we have this and other promises for those who have reason to be sharply aware of the passing of time. The first thing God is reminding us of here is that even though our bodies are changing, and not necessarily for the better, He doesn’t change. In other words, the paintings of God as a greybeard are totally off the mark! The second thing He points out to us is that He carries us. (The NIV says “sustain” the first and third times it comes up.) The “Footprints in the Sand” poem is true, even though it has been used so much as to become trite. We are comfortable with the thought of babies being carried, but senior adults sometimes face the need to be carried again. That can be pretty traumatic, but it makes a big difference to remember that God has been carrying us all along! We get ourselves into all sorts of fixes, but the last thing God says here is that He will rescue us. That should be an enormous comfort whatever age we are!

As I am comfortably past 64, older than my father lived on this earth, I am increasingly aware of the depth and grace of this promise. I wear bifocal glasses and have a few other reminders of the calendar. However, in general I am in excellent health, and anticipate 20 or more further years of service. At the same time, I am around a lot of people of greater age, or who aren’t as blessed with good health, and I can imagine myself in their shoes. That shouldn’t be alarming for me, precisely because I have such promises as this verse. I am increasingly aware that what is visible is temporary, whether it seems good or bad at the moment, so it becomes easier to focus on the eternal. I am to be fully present in the here-and-now, fully available to God for however He wants to use me, but keep my focus and my values in the eternal, so that I won’t be shaken by the temporal, but rest, relax, and rejoice in my eternal Lord.

Father, thank You for this reminder. May I be an encouragement to all I encounter to fix their eyes on You as well, whether they think of themselves as young or old, so that as many as will may repent and believe, to receive Your eternal life and start walking in it right now, for their salvation and Your glory. Thank You. Praise God!

Posted in Christian | Tagged , , , , | Leave a comment

February 1, 2013

Posted on February 5, 2013 by jgarrott

Isaiah 45:20, 22 “Gather together and come;
assemble, you fugitives from the nations.
Ignorant are those who carry about idols of wood,
who pray to gods that cannot save.
Turn to me and be saved,
all you ends of the earth;
for I am God, and there is no other.”

The image of “carrying idols of wood” doesn’t click for most Americans, but it’s a central feature of practically every Japanese festival, and is common in many other parts of the world as well. In verse 20 the Lord is pointing out the ignorance of those who do that. As He told the Jews, “You will know the truth, and the truth will set you free.” (John 8:32) It is to counter such ignorance that missionaries go around the world. It is in verse 22 that the Lord issues the invitation that missionaries proclaim. I’m sure most of the Jews of the 1st Century had no idea this was in the Bible! As Acts records, it took some pretty dramatic action on God’s part to get even the Christians to understand that His offer of salvation is to every human being. We tend to be so self serving, concerned only for our own salvation and satisfied if we think we have that. It was to counter such an attitude that Jesus issued what is called The Great Commission, delivered just before He ascended to heaven. (Matthew 28:18-20) It is amazing, and sad to the point of being tragic, how many Christians and churches ignore that even today. When we lose our vision for world evangelization we quickly become introspective and narcissistic, of no particular use to God or to society as a whole. When our view of God becomes distorted like that, assorted aberrations come in all too easily, and we end up with churches that ignore large chunks of the Bible, claiming it’s “irrelevant for our day.” What a sad joke! John 3:16 doesn’t say, “For God so loved (insert people group) that He gave His only Son,” it says, “For God so loved the WORLD.” God chose Abram and renamed him Abraham because He needed to start somewhere, and that was His choice. We cut ourselves off from great chunks of God’s blessings when we try to limit His blessings to ourselves.

I’m interested, but not surprised, to see how much passion rises in me when I get on this subject! My parents were missionaries, and my mother’s father founded what is currently the oldest continuing Department of Missions in the world, at Southern Baptist Theological Seminary in Louisville, Kentucky. Missions is definitely in my blood, and I am deeply grateful. I made my own commitment to missions at the grave of David Livingston in Westminster Abbey when I was 10, but I forgot it quickly enough. However, the Lord graciously called me back to it, and I’ve been an independent, self-supporting missionary since 1981. In pastoring here in Japan, I have sought to instill a vision for evangelism and missions in the believers, and for many years we have tithed our general offering to the New Life League, which is a Christian publishing house in Japan actively involved in printing and distributing Bibles in China and elsewhere. I am not to slack off from that emphasis, but pray not only that every believer here would be active in sharing the Gospel with their neighbors, but also that people would go out far and wide from here, proclaiming the Gospel to the ends of the earth.

Father, thank You for this reminder. Thank You that Your love is indeed so inclusive, in keeping with Your character. Help me be fully useful to You for Your purposes, making disciples of all nations indeed, for Your glory. Thank You. Hallelujah!

Posted in Christian | Tagged , , , , , , | Leave a comment

January 31, 2013

Posted on February 5, 2013 by jgarrott

Isaiah 45:5-6 I am the LORD, and there is no other;
apart from me there is no God.
I will strengthen you,
though you have not acknowledged me,
so that from the rising of the sun
to the place of its setting
men may know there is none besides me.
I am the LORD, and there is no other.

So much for the thought of polytheism! It is interesting that this most adamantly monotheistic declaration is addressed to Cyrus, who was a polytheist who did not know Yahweh. Living in Japan, which is deeply polytheistic as well as materialistic, this chapter of Isaiah comes to mind again and again as I see people who know nothing of God be used for His purposes. “The devil made me do it” became a standard joke line back in the late 1960’s in the US, but that gives the devil too much credit. The devil encourages sin, but it is our own lust and rebellious nature that “make” us commit sin. (James 1:13-15) God, on the other hand, is omnipotent. He exercises enormous restraint, honoring the free will He gave us, but nothing happens, nothing can happen, outside of His permission. That is a mystery beyond our grasp at times. Sometimes we cry out in anguish, “Why?!,” yet we cannot grasp the answer. It is at such times that faith is most tested, and afterward, shines most brightly. As I am reminded very often, God told me personally that there is much in the world at this time that He is not happy about, but that does not make Him any less God. He can and does use even things that are horrible in themselves to work good and blessing, especially for those who love and trust Him. (Romans 8:28)

This is something I have known as objective fact for a long time, but it has taken much longer for it to work into me on the emotional level, and that isn’t complete even yet. The progression is from knowledge to faith to trust. Just reading the Bible has given me knowledge and God has given me faith, but I’ve got to apply those two together in active trust. I need to remember at all times, on the most practical, down-to-earth level, that the Lord is God, and He is good. That’s what Paul was talking about in Philippians 4:4-7 and 1 Thessalonians 5:16-18. If I will trust God enough to give Him thanks in all circumstances, rejoicing in His love for me, then His peace will guard my heart and mind in Christ Jesus my Lord. That’s something the world can’t begin to understand, much less give.

Father, I’ve been so slow to learn this! Thank You for telling me personally to rest, relax, and rejoice. Thank You for the training You gave me just yesterday in something that is essentially inconsequential, when an item was missing from a shipment we received, and You showed me that actually took some time pressure off of me. Help me trust You enough to delight in You throughout today, and each day, so that Your purposes may be accomplished in and through me on Your schedule for Your glory. Thank You. Hallelujah!

Posted in Christian | Tagged , , , , , , | Leave a comment

January 30, 2013

Posted on February 5, 2013 by jgarrott

Isaiah 41:10 So do not fear, for I am with you;
do not be dismayed, for I am your God.
I will strengthen you and help you;
I will uphold you with my righteous right hand.

Everyone is in need of encouragement at times. Sometimes we may be on top of the world, but at other times we may be discouraged and really down in the dumps. For those who love God, who desire to serve Him despite their weaknesses and failings, God has this to say to them. The thing is, sometimes when we’re down we really don’t have ears to hear God directly. I’ve found that many people, even though they are are Christians, have trouble even opening a Bible when they are depressed. That’s when it’s important for their brothers and sisters in Christ to be there for them, to be “Jesus with skin on” for them. Over half the uses of “encourage” in the Bible are in the New Testament, with 1 Thessalonians 5:11 as an excellent example: “Therefore encourage one another and build each other up, just as in fact you are doing.” That’s what we’re supposed to be doing! That’s not the same as ignoring sin or failing to call to repentance, when that is needed, but it does mean maintaining a positive tone. We’ve all known people whose primary gifting seemed to be criticism! Such people are deceived by the enemy and used by him, rather than by the Holy Spirit. Paul wrote very strong words in some of his letters, but he was aware that the authority he had been given by God was to build people up, and not tear them down. (2 Corinthians 13:10) We might not have the level of authority Paul had, but we too are to build people up, rather than pick at them and tear them down. We are to be instruments of God’s “righteous right hand,” which He mentions in this verse.

As I read from the beginning of this chapter I at first thought I would write on a different verse, but then I realized that my attitude wasn’t right, and I stopped and asked the Lord to make it clear what He was saying to me, rather than what I was to write to others. I was actually a little surprised when He made it clear that it was this verse, because I don’t feel discouraged at this point. On the contrary, I’m feeling blessed. However, as I started writing I understood that He wants me to be careful to transmit His message of encouragement to others, and not be one of the critical people I mentioned! At times I tend to be a perfectionist, and fail to commend progress, as opposed to completion. That’s not good, particularly for a pastor. I need to remember how gracious God has been toward me and extend that grace to others consistently, and not just occasionally. I’ll be seeing someone today who is a very wounded soul. Sometimes that wounding expresses itself in ways that are problematic for others. I am to seek to guide him, but I must do it in an encouraging way, and not so that he is further wounded. I am to receive and accept God’s encouragement for me, and be an instrument of His encouragement to others.

Father, thank You for this Word this morning. Help me follow through! Thank You for Your promise to strengthen, help, and uphold me. My I be Your instrument to that end toward others as well, for their blessing and Your glory. Thank You. Praise God!

Posted in Christian | Tagged , , , | Leave a comment

January 29, 2013

Posted on January 30, 2013 by jgarrott

Isaiah 33:22 For the LORD is our judge,
the LORD is our lawgiver,
the LORD is our king;
it is he who will save us.

When I read this just now, my immediate thought was that this is what American Christians need to be proclaiming. America was founded on what were intended at the time to be Christian, Biblical principles. It was recognized at the time that human beings are fallible, so a system of checks and balances was instated. Today, when that system seems to have fallen apart in a number of instances, American believers need to come back to what is stated in this verse. It is very thorough, covering the judicial, legislative, and executive branches of government and stating that the Lord is to be in charge of each. Lots of people look to the government to save them, from one problem or another, but this verse reminds us that it is God who will save us. Our focus needs to be on the Lord. In terms of politics and the government, we need to be seeking God-fearing people of good character to fill each post, whether elected or appointed. If the three branches of government, and the bureaucracy, were filled with such people, we would have a very different nation indeed, and every difference would be good!

Like everyone else, I am faced with human imperfection, both in myself and in those I deal with on any level. That’s why Paul’s instructions in 1 Timothy 2:1-2 are so important. Everyone needs prayer! I am often disgusted at the behavior of those in government on all levels, but I occasionally see shining good examples. I’m to pray that the good examples be strengthened, and their number increase, and that those who don’t meet that standard be brought to repentance. Many in government deal with money and all deal with authority, and both of those can be very strong temptations to corruption. I am to pray that with each temptation, each person would have the strength of character to take the way of escape that God provides. (1 Corinthians 10:13) I recognize that far from everyone, perhaps even few, in government have any sort of commitment to Jesus Christ as Lord. I am to pray for their salvation, and that those who do know Christ would share the Gospel with those around them as the Lord gives opportunity, so that the cleansing wind of the Holy Spirit would blow on every level.

Father, thank You for this verse. I had never realized that any verse in the Bible specifically laid out the three branches of government. Help me indeed be faithful to pray. Raise up many more to pray as well, so that indeed Your Name may be hallowed and Your kingdom come, as Your will is done for Your glory. Thank You. Hallelujah!

Posted in Christian | Tagged , , , , , , | Leave a comment

January 28, 2013

Posted on January 30, 2013 by jgarrott

Isaiah 32:8 But the noble man makes noble plans,
and by noble deeds he stands.

This is one of those rare passages where I like the NIV better than the Japanese! In the second half of the verse, the Japanese just says, “He always does noble things.” However, reading the Japanese does drive home the meaning of “noble,” which is “high quality or value.” The point of this verse is that character is demonstrated in both thoughts (plans) and actions (deeds). Really thinking about that should give anyone pause! The passage doesn’t give any detail as to just what “noble” would be, but the previous two verses describe the opposite pretty clearly. Having gotten this far, I am drawn to verse 5: “No longer will the fool be called noble nor the scoundrel be highly respected.” That is a prophecy of relief from what we see in many circles today. Both government and the entertainment industry seem to be nests of “highly respected scoundrels!” When a person’s character is ignored by society, we have a real problem. There will always be fools and scoundrels, but when they are called noble and are highly respected, that shows that society itself is sick. The remedy is for those who recognize the problem to be consistent in their own lives, not giving support to distorted values by their words and actions. In other words, by not watching/paying for ignoble entertainment, for example, and by not ignoring character flaws in politicians and other leaders. We are back to the statement that “All that is necessary for evil to triumph is for good men to do nothing.” Everyone who cares about such things needs to see to it that their own plans and actions are noble.

This is an issue I have been concerned about, yet I have felt powerless to affect. I have been far more emotionally involved in politics in recent years that I ever was before, but to this point that hasn’t produced results that were pleasing to me. I need to walk in personal purity and indeed pray without ceasing. (1 Thessalonians 5:17) After all, verse 5 is a prophecy, and I can pray for its fulfillment!

Father, I’m back to what You said years ago, that there are lots of things in the world that You aren’t happy about. Help me rest in the assurance that You will indeed make them all right in Your time, and keep myself available to You for however You choose to use me to that end, for Your glory. Thank You. Praise God!

Posted in Christian | Tagged , , , , , , | Leave a comment

January 27, 2013

Posted on January 28, 2013 by jgarrott

Isaiah 30:18 Yet the LORD longs to be gracious to you;
he rises to show you compassion.
For the LORD is a God of justice.
Blessed are all who wait for him!

I’m in trouble when I read Isaiah devotionally, because there are so many rich passages that really speak to me! However, today I choose to restrain myself to this verse. The image is a very touching one. In those days, a monarch stood for no one; everyone stood or bowed in his presence. Yet here, the King of kings rises from His throne to show compassion (or mercy) to His people, who have gotten themselves into a terrible fix by their rebellion against Him. It says He’s just waiting (longs) to be gracious to His people! This is not the image most people of the day had of God, or of any god. This verse reaffirms that the Lord is a God of justice, in contrast to all the capricious gods of the nations around them at that time, and in contrast to “blind fate” or “evolution” that so many people today believe in. That makes the last line of this verse all the more true: “Blessed are all who wait in hope for Him.” (Japanese has an expression that is translated as “wait in hope” or “wait expectantly” that captures this thought perfectly.)

This is a truth I try to get across to people, with varying success. For many, it seems too good to be true, so they can’t believe it. This has been a problem through the ages; even Jesus encountered it. We set up straw “gods” in our minds, and then hate or fear them, instead of believing what the Bible says about the Creator of the universe. Even though I have been immersed in the Bible since infancy, I still do it at times myself. God is indeed perfectly holy and totally powerful, which makes Him very scary to weak, unholy mankind, but He is also love itself, and that is the side of Him that comes out again and again in Isaiah, including this verse. I am to remember and to proclaim both His holiness and His love, not excusing sin but calling people to repentance, because God has provided atonement through the blood of His Son.

Father, Your grace is so incredible that so many have trouble accepting it. I ask for the anointing of Your Spirit so that more and more would receive, repent, and believe Your Word that I proclaim to them, for a massive harvest in Your kingdom, for Your glory. Thank You. Hallelujah!

Posted in Christian | Tagged , , , , , | Leave a comment

January 26, 2013

Posted on January 28, 2013 by jgarrott

Isaiah 28:12 to whom he said,
“This is the resting place, let the weary rest”;
and, “This is the place of repose” –
but they would not listen.

It is amazing what a capacity we have for not listening to what should be good news! This particular verse reminds me of a little child, stubbornly refusing to take a nap, even though they are very tired and have big events ahead of them. God knows what we need, what is best for us, and He seeks to lead us into it, but we all too often stubbornly refuse. We rebel at anything that hints of control, not realizing, or at least not acknowledging, that we can’t even control ourselves. That acknowledgment is of course the first step in deliverance programs of all sorts. The first step to eternal salvation is to recognize that you need it, and that you can’t provide it for yourself. God is not a legalist; He looks on our hearts, as the Bible says repeatedly. However, in the verse following this one, God says that He turns people over to legalism when they refuse to hear and accept His message of grace. Many people are more comfortable with legalism than with grace, because they want to say, or at least feel, that they have had a part in their own salvation. That is such a foolish conceit! As Jesus so famously declared, His yoke is easy, and His burden is light. (Matthew 11:28-30)

I have fought against legalism, but at the same time I have ignored some of the guidelines God has given me to make my way easier. That can seem like a delicate balance, but it isn’t, really. A heart that is committed to obedience, not to earn favor but out of sheer gratitude for overwhelming grace, has no trouble walking in the rest God has provided for us. A couple of years ago now God told me specifically to “Rest, relax, and rejoice.” It is amazing, even to me, the trouble I have doing that sometimes! Hebrews expresses that difficulty as “Strive to enter into that rest.” (Hebrews 4:11) That sounds pretty counter-intuitive! However difficult it might seem, I can have the assurance that I will be able to do it, not because of my own wisdom or other ability, but because of Christ. (Philippians 4:13) This is a message I need to communicate effectively to the people in this church, so that together we may “cease from our own labors and enter into His rest.” (Hebrews 4:10)

Father, thank You for this reminder just as You seem to be opening new doors for ministry for me. Help me flow with Your Spirit at all times, applying myself as You intend but not feeling like “I have to do it” about anything. May my focus be entirely on loving, grateful obedience to You, so that I may rest fully in You even as You do great things through me, for Your glory. Thank You. Hallelujah!

Posted in Christian | Tagged , , , , , | 3 Comments

January 25, 2013

Posted on January 26, 2013 by jgarrott

Isaiah 26:3 You will keep in perfect peace
him whose mind is steadfast,
because he trusts in you.

The world conspires to rob us of peace. Japanese uses different terms for external peace and inner peace, and the term for inner peace is used here. I can’t answer for the nuance in the Hebrew, but in the context of “mind” and “trust,” that seems reasonable. All sorts of things can rob us of peace. Not only are there limitless anxieties that threaten us, even good things can do the job. In my family we have used the term “journey proud” for the excitement before a trip that can rob us of sleep through excess adrenaline. Whatever the cause, the solution to lack of inner peace is commitment to God, fully trusting in Him. The world tries to sell us things like aroma therapy and meditation, not to mention tranquilizers and the like, but those at best address surface symptoms. This verse gets at the root of the issue. The term “faith” is bandied about a great deal among Christians, but it often seems divorced from the real world. That’s why I like to use “trust,” because trust is always a matter of practical application. The letters of both James and John speak strongly against any “faith” that fails to follow through in action. This verse provides a good gauge of our trust level toward God: are we firmly grounded in peace?

I am currently being tested in this area in a way I am certainly not used to. With assorted intricacies of the Japanese pension system, my wife and I not only start receiving regular pension payments this year, we just received a lump sum that caused a major shift in our bank balance. Objectively speaking, I’m very interested to see the degree of turmoil that has caused in me. I have been comfortable with trusting God when we couldn’t see how He was going to provide, but I find myself tied in knots over abundance! This gives me a handle I’ve never had before on a very famous statement by Paul: “I know what it is to be in need, and I know what it is to have plenty. I have learned the secret of being content in any and every situation, whether well fed or hungry, whether living in plenty or in want. I can do everything through him who gives me strength.” (Philippians 4:12-13) I have felt like I was “living in plenty,” but am discovering I don’t know well how to do that. I am very concerned with being a good steward of God’s provision, whether financial or otherwise. I need to be content in whatever situation God places me, knowing that He will give me the necessary strength, and rest, relax, and rejoice in Him.

Father, thank You indeed for Your abundant provision. I have prayed that, in those words, pretty consistently over the years, even when our bank balance was virtually nonexistent. Help me rest at peace in You now in different circumstances, trusting You to guide me in Your plans, for the salvation of many and for Your glory. Thank You. Hallelujah!

Posted in Christian | Tagged , , , , , , | Leave a comment

January 24, 2013

Posted on January 26, 2013 by jgarrott

Isaiah 1:18 “Come now, let us reason together,”
says the LORD.
“Though your sins are like scarlet,
they shall be as white as snow;
though they are red as crimson,
they shall be like wool.”

This verse is rightly very dearly loved, set to music and sung, but the question is how well we really understand it. The first thing is that we have to come to God. So many people in the world simply ignore Him, not understanding at all that their very existence is completely dependent on Him. The second thing is the matter of “reason together.” This completely eliminates the idea of one-way prayer. If we talk to God, we had better be listening for the answer! Also, He initiates the conversation often enough, if we have ears to hear. The idea of conversing with God seems totally “out there” to perhaps most people, but the Bible is filled with God’s desire to communicate with His children. That is often quite literally the case, with God using the words of Scripture to speak to us very individually and personally, so we should approach the Bible with that in mind. The next point is acknowledging our sins. We have a tendency either to fail to recognize sins for what they are, or think they are somehow too terrible for God to forgive. Either of those attitudes is a terrible mistake, and is greatly encouraged by the devil. When we come to God it should be in complete humility, allowing the Holy Spirit to point out things of which we need to repent, knowing that there is nothing that cannot be covered by the blood of Jesus Christ. There is nothing to compare with the joy and release of knowing your sins are atoned for, they are forgiven!

I have certainly experienced this, and I deeply desire that as many as possible experience it with me. I have also discovered that understanding that I am forgiven is a powerful protection against yielding to the same temptation again. That’s what Peter was talking about in 2 Peter 1:9 “But if anyone does not have them, he is nearsighted and blind, and has forgotten that he has been cleansed from his past sins.” Knowing we are forgiven frees us to move past whatever it was that needed forgiveness, to grow to the full stature of Christ Jesus our Lord. (Ephesians 4:13, 15) As a pastor, I am charged with helping those in this flock to keep growing, so helping them understand forgiveness is essential.

Father, thank You for this reminder. You know the struggles I have had with trying to get people to understand forgiveness, because of all the cultural and linguistic barriers. Help me never give up, but rather model and proclaim Your forgiveness at all times in all situations, so that I may be useful to Your Spirit in opening the eyes of as many as possible, for their salvation and Your glory. Thank You. Praise God!

Posted in Christian | Tagged , , , , | Leave a comment