September 15, 2012

Posted on September 16, 2012 by jgarrott

Deuteronomy 24:18 Remember that you were slaves in Egypt and the LORD your God redeemed you from there. That is why I command you to do this.

Remembering where we came from is a very important principle that is repeated many times in the Bible. Without it, we tend to take things for granted and become conceited and heartless, thinking we got to where we are on our own. This is all part of understanding God’s grace. This is particularly a problem when the humble circumstances were a few generations back, as was illustrated many times in the history of Israel and is equally obvious in the world around us today. It can certainly be a problem in the Church, in the short or the long term. Paul put it this way: “Brothers, think of what you were when you were called. Not many of you were wise by human standards; not many were influential; not many were of noble birth.” (1 Corinthians 1:26) The better we remember God’s grace to us, the easier it is to extend grace to those around us. Paul again has clear words on the subject: “Be kind and compassionate to one another, forgiving each other, just as in Christ God forgave you.” (Ephesians 4:32) When we do that, God’s love flows unhindered among us, and those watching us understand that we belong to Christ. (John 13:35)

Coming from several generations of faithful, Biblical preachers, it gives me pause to think how different things would be now if any of them had rejected God’s grace to them. Frankly, at times I am frustrated with how slow people can be to absorb Biblical principles that seem obvious to me. I need to remember that my ancestors, far enough back, were no better, and that I am the recipient of multiplied grace. I need to remember that among human beings, any comparisons are equivalent to the Japanese proverb of “acorns comparing height.” God is so much greater – and more holy and more every­thing else good – that all such comparisons are essentially meaningless. We are called to be faithful with whatever we have been given, be it much or little. Jesus pointed out that “From everyone who has been given much, much will be demanded; and from the one who has been entrusted with much, much more will be asked.” (Luke 12:48) That really puts me on notice, because I know I have been blessed remarkably, and it is all grace. I am to be a faithful steward of all that has been placed in my hands, (1 Corinthians 4:2) never being proud or boastful but remembering that it is all grace.

Father, thank You for reminding me of this periodically. Help me understand the use You want me to make of each thing You have entrusted to me, all the way down to physical life itself. Help me cling to none of it as though it were mine, but rather offer it freely to You, so that You may make the use of it that You desire and intend, drawing many to Yourself for their salvation and Your glory. Thank You. Praise God!

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September 14, 2012

Posted on September 16, 2012 by jgarrott

Deuteronomy 9:6 Understand, then, that it is not because of your righteousness that the LORD your God is giving you this good land to possess, for you are a stiff-necked people.

This verse is without question the thrust of this whole section of Deuteronomy, and it is a theme that is repeated throughout the book. It is actually a statement of grace. God is pointing out to the people through Moses that they are being blessed because of God’s sovereign choice, not because they deserved it. This is something everyone on earth would do well to keep in mind. Jesus was sharply pointed when He dealt with the issue in Luke 13:1-5. His point there was that everyone needs to repent, because the sins of mankind have the whole race headed for destruction. We forget that to our peril! We are very prone to think that when good things happen to us that we somehow deserve them, and as a result we fail to be properly grateful for them. That certainly happened repeatedly throughout the Old Testament, and God kept sending prophets to call the people to repentance. New Testament writers certainly didn’t neglect this theme, with Paul famously saying that all have sinned, in Romans 3:23, and John saying that anyone who claims not to have sinned is calling God a liar. (1 John 1:10) God delights to bless us, but we must remember that it is His grace, and not think we deserve it.

This certainly applies to me, as it does to everyone. I was 23 years old when the Lord tapped me on the shoulder and, when I turned, held a mirror so I could get a glimpse of my soul. I knew then that I deserved nothing good from God, and that everything is grace. It has been a different life since then, though certainly not a perfect one. I wish I could say I have walked in perfect obedience since then, but I am far from being able to make that claim. As a pastor, I constantly deal with people who think they deserve better than they have, and it eats them up with resentment. God is true to His Word, but we have violated His Word in more ways than we even know, so every blessing is grace. I need to keep that clearly in mind myself, and I need the help of the Holy Spirit to get it through to my hearers. When I feel overwhelmed by one thing or another – or by everything at once – I need to remember God’s grace, and that it is sufficient. (2 Corinthians 12:9)

Father, You know what we are in the middle of right now even better than we do. This is certainly training in resting, relaxing, and rejoicing! Help us remember that Your grace is sufficient for us now and it will be sufficient for us in whatever future awaits. Help us walk in grateful appreciation for Your blessings that are indeed overflowing, giving You all the glory for all that You want to do through us. Thank You. Praise God!

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September 13, 2012

Posted on September 13, 2012 by jgarrott

Deuteronomy 6:20, 21, 24 In the future, when your son asks you, “What is the meaning of the stipulations, decrees and laws the LORD our God has commanded you?” tell him. The LORD commanded us to obey all these decrees and to fear the LORD our God, so that we might always prosper and be kept alive, as is the case today.

Moses was pointing out to the people that their children were going to want to know why they had all these rules and regulations, particularly since they were different from those held by other people groups. The simple answer was that they were to tell them. In the case of Israel, that telling involved the story of slavery in Egypt, and the exodus and miracles. Today, children have the same question: “Why?” Christian parents need to be just as prepared as Jewish parents to explain things, but sadly, few are. I am reminded of Peter’s admonition to “Always be prepared to give an answer to everyone who asks you to give the reason for the hope that you have.” (1 Peter 3:15) Not too many Christians follow that, either! In raising children, sometimes the best answer is indeed, because I said so, especially when the child in question is too young to understand the full answer. However, that should never be the standard answer, or you will raise children who can’t wait to “get out from under their parent’s thumb,” and who will in turn be arbitrary with their own children. Parents themselves need to believe that God’s commandments are to bring happiness and blessing, and they need to express that clearly to their children. Failure in that area is a major factor in the breakdown in morality in the US today. It has been shown that parents who actively believe that premarital sexual abstinence is the way to the greatest blessing in that area, and who express that clearly to their children, have the fewest problems with those children. Society today blasts a message contrary to that, so parents need to believe it, teach it, and live it out themselves. Of course, God’s rules apply to every area of our lives, and the same principle holds true: we need to believe for ourselves that they are for our good and blessing, and we need to communicate that actively and effectively to our children.

As a parent, I didn’t do a perfect job in communicating Biblical values to my children, but now as a pastor I have a much larger “family” with which to improve my game, so to speak. I don’t think I have any problems believing that God’s way is best in every respect, but I need to communicate that effectively to those in my care. Some of them have questions as to what God’s way is in specific situations. I need to be clear with them without being legalistic, and that can be a real challenge. With non-Christian families and social structure, they have some pressures I’ve never experienced, so I can’t say, “I’ve been there, and this is what you need to do.” I need God’s wisdom and I need to be fully familiar with the Bible and its principles, but more even than those things, I need to teach the believers to listen to the Holy Spirit. That has to be taught by word and example, but if by the grace of God it is accomplished, those taught are set for life.

Father, thank You for expressing this so clearly this morning. Your way is indeed always best! Help me listen and obey at all times, not only so that I will do Your will, but so that nothing will interfere with my fellowship with You. May I be a delightful child to You in every respect, for Your glory. Thank You. Praise God!

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September 12, 2012

Posted on September 13, 2012 by jgarrott

Deuteronomy 4:2 Do not add to what I command you and do not subtract from it, but keep the commands of the LORD your God that I give you.

This expresses the foundation of “Old Testament righteousness,” that is, keeping the Law. However, people quickly proved themselves adept at violating both sides of what is expressed in the first half of this verse. First off, they added to it in amazing detail, creating the Talmud and the Midrash, books of equal or greater volume to the Torah (the five books of Moses). Then they subtracted from it, not by deleting words but by making excuses for ignoring it, as Jesus pointed out in Mark 7:8-13. Lest we look down our noses at the ancient Israelites, we do much the same. Even accounting for how Christ “redeemed us from the curse of the law,” (Galatians 3:13) modern churches and Christians have done a lot of twisting, adding, and ignoring. For example, the average American thinks “God helps those who help themselves” is in the Bible, when it isn’t. We are called to be good stewards of what God makes available to us, but as it stands, that proverb (not Proverb) is a violation of the principle of grace. What complicates things further is that there are indeed cultural factors in the Bible that are misunderstood in the very different culture of today. Attitudes toward women are a prime example here. The point is, there must be a foundational commitment to obedience to the God of the Bible, along with a grasp of His grace and love, if we are to walk in the righteousness that He desires of us.

Well, I’ve written a mouthful! As I am frequently reminded, I was raised in an environment steeped in Scripture to a degree experienced by few, but that doesn’t mean I’ve followed it perfectly by any means. I need to remember the principle I just stated, of commitment to obe­dience to God, with a grasp of His grace and love. As a pastor, I am constantly dealing with issues of behavior and attitude in those around me. I am not to be legalistic, but neither am I to be dismissive of Biblical standards. That can be a difficult balance! As always, I need the wisdom and guidance of the Holy Spirit. There are those who literally ask me for rules to follow, and there are those who bristle at the idea of rules, but God loves them all and desires the best for them, and I am to be His agent. I am not to draw back from strong words if God directs them, but I must be very careful that all the truth that comes from my mouth is spoken in love.

Father, You know the issues, and the people, I’m dealing with right now. I ask for Your grace and guidance, too, that their interaction with me would draw them to You, and not drive them away. May we in this church indeed be a people of Your Word, in prayer and praise, for Your glory. Thank You. Praise God!

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September 11, 2012

Posted on September 13, 2012 by jgarrott

Genesis 17:9 Then God said to Abraham, “As for you, you must keep my covenant, you and your descendants after you for the generations to come.”

God’s covenants with man are lopsided by the very nature of them, because God is infinite and man is finite, but that doesn’t mean man is strictly on the receiving end. God specifically chose something that would never be done casually, circumcision, as a responsibility of man in His covenant with Abram, now Abraham. Incidentally, the name change, though very important, did not carry the same weight of commitment. As it turns out, circumcision carries a number of health advantages, though it is not without risks, but Abraham didn’t know that. It is no coincidence that it was only after Abraham was circumcised that he was able to father Isaac. He had to actively commit his reproductive member to God before that member could be used to fulfill God’s promise to him. When God is the Creator of everything, the only things we can give Him are obedience and love, so those are what He asks for. Sadly, we have many “entitlement Christians” (if I may coin a term) who somehow think God’s obligated to pour blessing out on them without their doing anything in response. Following God sometimes requires some hard choices, but as Abraham found, the results are always worth it.

My own circumcision was before I was old enough to have anything to say about it, but that’s not to say I haven’t been presented with some real decisions to be made. I wish I could say I’ve always made the right decision! As a pastor, I’m to encourage people to make right decisions and commitments, but I can’t make those for them. I just had a phone call from someone at the mental hospital who is happy for me to pray blessings for him, but he is uncomfortable with anything that requires something of him in return. That is, he doesn’t want to change, he just wants to be blessed. He may be a patient in a mental hospital, but he’s got a lot of company outside the hospital! I am to be faithful to speak the truth in love at all times, not drawing back for fear someone might not like me because of it. I am not to offend needlessly, but I am to make it clear that faith and obedience to God are choices each individual must make. That’s not legalism, it’s simply how things are. God’s grace is far greater than our sin, but we must choose to receive it.

Father, I deal with people all the time for whom I would like to make some decisions, but I can’t do it. Help me be at peace with that, and release them to You and Your Spirit. Help me be fully available to You in drawing them to right decisions, without thinking or feeling that it’s up to me. May I be an accurate channel of Your love and grace, neither condemning nor excusing, so that many may be drawn into right relationship with You, for their salvation and Your glory. Thank You. Praise God!

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September 10, 2012

Posted on September 13, 2012 by jgarrott

Genesis 15:6 Abram believed the LORD, and he credited it to him as righteousness.

As I preached just over a week ago, this is one of the foundational verses of the whole Bible. However, we tend to read much more into it than it actually says. We need to remember that Abram did not have any sort of “developed” theology; all he knew was that a supernatural Being had spoken to him. That makes it all the more remarkable that he had done so much in obedience to God already at this point. I think this is further evidence that we are born with an innate desire to seek God. Descartes called it a “God-shaped hole,” which we all try to fill with one thing or another. I’m sure that many of Abram’s associates said he was just superstitious, and many people today would probably say the same about him. However, he had the immense blessing of being spoken to, not by some lying demon, but by the Creator. We can’t know all the reasons Abram was chosen, but certainly one was that God knew he would believe, and that made all the difference. We are back to the fact that this was a very simplistic belief. I doubt that most of the things discussed by theologians ever crossed Abram’s mind. Jesus was fairly extreme when He said that we must “change and become like little children” to enter heaven. Children are naturally very trusting (unless they’ve been abused) and this is the model Jesus sets up for us. Abram’s faith was very much of that sort. We need to remember that, and emulate it.

When my family was as intellectual as it was, it was an enormous mercy that it was also a family of faith. Human beings are capable of thinking themselves into all sorts of dead ends, forgetting that we are by definition finite, so we can’t know everything. Intellectual curiosity and inquiry are very good things, but they must have humility as a foundation, or they lead to deadly conceit. Several years ago the Guinness Book listed the Japanese as the people-group with the highest average IQ, and I can believe it. However, I know from experience that high IQ can couple with amazing stupidity when people refuse to accept, or even look at, things outside their experience. For myself, I need to maintain an open heart and open mind, without letting go of the God whom I have come to know and love. As I do that, I need to share what I have learned of Him with those around me, not speaking down to them in any way but rejoicing in God’s amazing grace toward us all. I am to make faithful use of the mind God has given me, and encourage those around me to do the same, without falling into the trap of thinking we don’t need God’s guidance and revelation. I know very well that my own righteousness is as filthy rags, (Isaiah 64:6) and choose to trust God with the faith of Abram.

Father, the whole issue of faith can seem very complicated. Help me stay in the childlike faith that trusts You enough to be totally obedient. I am as prone to wander from that as anyone. Help me be faithful so that I will be available to You in leading others into that saving faith, so that together we may walk in all that You intend, for our blessing and Your glory. Thank You. Praise God!

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September 9, 2012

Posted on September 13, 2012 by jgarrott

Genesis 7:5 And Noah did all that the LORD commanded him.

The basis of Noah’s righteousness was his obedience to do everything God told him. Considering some of the things God told him to do, this was no small matter! The previous chapter expresses both Noah’s obedience to God and the active disobedience of everyone else. It’s not so hard to obey God when you are with a group of like-minded people, but it can be very difficult when everyone around you is going the other direction. Noah was far from perfect, as later events in his life make clear, but his commitment was to obedience to God, and that made all the difference. The story of Noah is one of the most likely to be dismissed by skeptics, but it’s one that Jesus quoted directly, specifically in reference to His return, both in Matthew 24 and Luke 17. Those skeptics are on pretty shaky ground! Noah is an example to us that is is possible to follow God even when no one else is doing so, and that God will honor that.

I’m not sure I’ve ever preached on Noah, but what the Lord just pointed out to me about him could be very helpful encouragement for the flock. In Japan particularly, bucking the group, being different, is really looked down on, and all too often that has a negative influence on Christian witness, both in word and in action. I am not to look down on people because that is the case, but rather come alongside them to encourage and strengthen them to stand firm. It is certainly not easy to choose to follow God when everyone around you is doing otherwise.

Father, You have blessed me with environments throughout my life where there was always someone else who was seeking to follow You, yet I have still turned my back on You more times than I care to think about. Help me empathize properly with those who are struggling, without excusing things of which they need to repent. Help me affirm people without affirming disobedience to You. May I be a clear and helpful example, as Noah was, so that together we may all walk in all that You intend, in full obedience, for Your glory. Thank You. Praise God!

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September 8, 2012

Posted on September 8, 2012 by jgarrott

Revelation 22:17 The Spirit and the bride say, “Come!” And let him who hears say, “Come!” Whoever is thirsty, let him come; and whoever wishes, let him take the free gift of the water of life.

If Matthew 28:18-20 is the Great Commission, then this is the Great Invitation. Chapter 21 makes it clear that the Bride here is the Church, the Body of Christ. The invitation to receive God’s free gift of eternal life comes from God’s Spirit, and it also comes from the Church. Those who hear that invitation are enjoined to repeat it. The only condition mentioned here is being thirsty, desiring the water of life. Frankly, there are those who act like they aren’t thirsty. They don’t want the water of life because they see the commitment to Jesus’ Lordship as restricting, rather than liberating. As in Jesus’ story of the Prodigal Son, (Luke 15:11-32) the Father is waiting to welcome all who will return to Him, but sadly, many do not. This is why Jesus spoke the Beatitudes. (Matthew 5:3-12) Those who recognize their spiritual need are indeed blessed, because they turn to God for fulfillment. Times of material abundance are often spiritually numbing, and that can be tragic. We tend to frame all of our wants and needs in material terms, but that ignores the fact that we are fundamentally spiritual beings. That is the greatest tragedy of atheistic insistence on evolution, as opposed to creation. In that view, we are no more than animals, and have no spiritual dimension. People cling to that because they don’t want to acknowledge moral responsibility, but it is actually nihilism at its worst.

As one who has heard and responded to the Great Invitation, I seek to repeat it to all who will hear, but for the most part it has been slow going. At times I am amazed at people’s stubborn rejection of God’s grace and love, but then I remember my own times of foolish pride, and I realize we aren’t that much different. As a pastor, I not only seek to repeat God’s invitation myself, I seek to encourage the believers to do likewise. Japanese society is very private about internal matters, and faith is seen as perhaps the most internal of all. That presents a major barrier to personal evangelism. However, I have found that when I am sensitive to the appointments God sets up, the people I talk to are very open to hear what He says through me. I need to help the believers trust that God has such appointments for them also, and that He will speak through them as well, or better, than He does through me.

Father, thank You for the privilege of repeating Your invitation. I pray for all who have heard it through me, that they would have the courage to accept it. It is indeed life-changing, and that creates anxiety in many. Help them let go of the life they have been clinging to so that they may take hold of the eternal life You offer, for their salvation and Your glory. Thank You. Hallelujah!

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September 7, 2012

Posted on September 8, 2012 by jgarrott

Revelation 21:3-4 And I heard a loud voice from the throne saying, “Now the dwelling of God is with men, and he will live with them. They will be his people, and God himself will be with them and be their God. He will wipe every tear from their eyes. There will be no more death or mourning or crying or pain, for the old order of things has passed away.”

This passage has been wonderfully comforting to believers down through the centuries. The image it presents, of a God intimately concerned and connected with His people, is striking to say the least. In Revelation 3:20 Jesus promises intimate fellowship with those who will receive Him, and here the Father is saying that the fellowship is for all eternity. Could it possibly get any better than that? I think not. We have such trouble grasping that God desires such fellowship with us! Because we don’t believe it, we don’t seek it, even though such fellowship is the purpose for which we were created. On this earth, various things tend to interfere with that fellowship, but in heaven they will all be taken away. This passage speaks of the removal of tears, death, sorrow, crying out, and suffering, but they can be eliminated only with the removal of their root cause, which is man’s sin. Not all of the suffering, sorrow, etc. that we experience is due to our own sin, but it all finds its origin in someone’s sin. That is hardest to see in what are called “natural disasters,” but they too are products of the distortion caused by man’s fall. In eternity, that root cause will be eliminated, and those who are in Christ will reap the benefits. It has been said, quite correctly, I feel, that believers have been saved from the penalty of sin, they are being saved from the power of sin, and they will be saved from the presence of sin. It’s that “future tense” of salvation that is described here.

I, of course, am in the “present tense” phase of salvation, along with every other Christian, but I certainly look forward to heaven! I know from experience that the more I press in for the fellowship with God for which I am created, the more I will taste heaven even while I am here. As a pastor, I am called to help the believers understand that the same fellowship is fully available to them. I’ve been given a message to deliver this coming Sunday on that subject, but I can’t get it through to them with my own wisdom and words; it would just sound like a fantasy. I need to pray for the anointing of the Holy Spirit, and allow Him to speak through me to hearts that He has prepared.

Father, You know how much I want the believers to press into You for ever-increasing fellowship, but You desire it even more. I pray that indeed, Your will would be done in and among us, so that we may become all that You desire and intend for us, for the salvation of many and for Your glory. Thank You. Hallelujah!

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September 6, 2012

Posted on September 8, 2012 by jgarrott

Revelation 20:12, 15 And I saw the dead, great and small, standing before the throne, and books were opened. Another book was opened, which is the book of life. The dead were judged according to what they had done as recorded in the books. If anyone’s name was not found written in the book of life, he was thrown into the lake of fire.

This is an image that atheists steadfastly reject, because it’s too terrible. The first reference in the Bible to a “book of life” is in Psalm 69:28, and then Paul refers to it in Philippians 4:3, but all the other references are in Revelation. That is to say, it is a concept with deep roots, but it wasn’t a frequent topic of conversation. That’s not too surprising, when you consider the consequences of not being recorded there! Before Christ, there seems to have been only a vague concept of it being a list of “the righteous,” but in the whole context of the New Testament, it is clear that the way to get your name into the Book of Life is to believe in Jesus Christ as Savior and Lord. (John 17:3) A lot of people would be comfortable with that if it didn’t mean living in obedience to Jesus as Lord! Far too many in the US, at any rate, think that all that is needed for salvation is agreeing with the facts about Jesus. As James said, even demons know the facts! (James 2:19) The way to have assurance of salvation is to believe in Jesus, and then live according to that belief.

As I write frequently, my biggest issue is in living out the truth I know. Failure to do so is simply deceiving myself, as James points out. (James 1:22) I do have full assurance of salvation myself, but that brings me to desire salvation for those around me. As Paul said, I feel compelled to share the Gospel. (2 Corinthians 5:14) Frankly, it is a mystery to me why not every Christian shares that compulsion. As a pastor, I need to nurture the flock in understanding the love and grace of God, because the more they do that, the more they will indeed share that with those around them. Everyone whose name is recorded in the Book of Life wants the names of those they love to be there too, but a lot of them don’t understand the reality of the situation. I’ve got to help them grasp it, so that they will overcome the emotional and social barriers and share Christ from their hearts, in the power of the Holy Spirit.

Father, if every Christian really understood this issue, the world would be evangelized in no time! Keep me from trying to push it onto people by my efforts, but help me recognize the opportunities You provide to share with those whose hearts are open. May every­thing we do, as a church and as individuals, demonstrate Your grace and love and so draw people to repentance and faith, for their salvation and Your glory. Thank You. Praise God!

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