Leaders; May 20, 2025

Posted on May 21, 2025 by jgarrott

Ezra 6:14 So the elders of the Jews continued to build and prosper under the preaching of Haggai the prophet and Zechariah, a descendant of Iddo. They finished building the temple according to the command of the God of Israel and the decrees of Cyrus, Darius and Artaxerxes, kings of Persia.

This verse explicitly includes both spiritual leaders and government leaders. Some people tend to rebel against all leadership, but they are seldom successful in their lives. Some people think or feel that everything depends on government, and they either despair at what they have or want more of it. And some people so focus on what they see as spiritual that they despise government, and/or see it as beneath their notice. All of those are wrong! We are too weak and foolish to make it entirely on our own, and all human organizations are fallible, but we need personal accountability and civil government in order to live lives rightly related to God, who is Spirit. As Paul famously said, “I urge, then, first of all, that petitions, prayers, intercession and thanksgiving be made for all people—for kings and all those in authority, that we may live peaceful and quiet lives in all godliness and holiness. This is good, and pleases God our Savior, who wants all people to be saved and to come to a knowledge of the truth.” (1 Timothy 2:1-4) If we don’t have good civil government, it will be very difficult to “live peaceful and quiet lives in all godliness and holiness.” However, God is ultimately in charge, and He uses secular leaders to do His will. If we focus too much on politicians and government, we will leave God more and more out of the picture, and we can certainly see the results of that. However, we aren’t to be “so heavenly minded we’re no earthly good.” Particularly in representative democracies, we are to be actively involved in society in all the ways available to us, all the while realizing that all of this is temporary, and God is the only eternal good. That’s why we need both spiritual leaders and political leaders – and we’re to pray for both.

I was not at all political for the first 2/3 of my life, but once I passed 50 I started paying more and more attention. At this point I am generally very aware, and certainly interested, but I’ve got to keep it all in proper perspective. I am sharply aware both of human fallibility and the ability of God to use anyone, even a donkey! (Numbers 22) (That’s not a reference to a political party, by the way.) I have seen spiritual leaders who genuinely drew people to God, to listen to Him, and I have also seen spiritual leaders who were all about themselves, and effectively blocked people from following God. I’m to follow Paul’s advice and pray for both, particularly since I’m in a position of spiritual leadership myself. I am never to take that position lightly, but also remember that I am no more than an under-shepherd, fully accountable to the Great Shepherd of the sheep – to use the expression in Hebrews 13:20. I am to despise no one, but let God be the Judge, and pray for all.

Father, thank You for this reminder. The world is certainly getting some lessons in leadership, for good or bad. I pray that those You have set in leadership would be increasingly faithful to You, so that Your name may be acknowledged as holy and Your rule and reign be established as Your will is done, for Your glory. Thank You. Hallelujah!

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Emotions; May 19, 2025

Posted on May 20, 2025 by jgarrott

Ezra 3:13 No one could distinguish the sound of the shouts of joy from the sound of weeping, because the people made so much noise. And the sound was heard far away.

Strong emotions can indeed blend together. In some situations that can become pathological, as in masochism. Some people become fear junkies, actively seeking out dangerous situations for the adrenaline hit. Such things are indications of human weakness and stupidity. In this particular situation the strong emotions weren’t being held by the same people simultaneously, but the effect was much the same. I’m sure everyone was exhausted when the day was over! It strikes me that those who were weeping probably had mixed emotions in the process, because there should have been gratitude at the new beginning, as well as mourning for what had been. It was probably a sort of flashback, as they remembered not just how the temple had been in its former glory, but what went on when it was destroyed by the Babylonian army. That was a horrible scene indeed! Those who had been born during the captivity probably had little to no empathy with such flashbacks. The thing is, God knew and cared about it all, and cared for each individual whatever their emotions. I really think that’s one reason Jesus came as a human being, so that He could actually feel the emotions we do on our scale. However, He did that, so we can rest assured that He understands us even when we don’t understand ourselves.

Today is to me a day of mixed, and potentially strong, emotions. Some good friends have asked to use our building for a celebration of life. That’s a currently popular term in the US for a funeral, but in this case the person in question is still alive, though they won’t be for much longer. The couple is 84, and the wife is in the terminal phase of lung cancer, with one lung full of tumors and the other filling with fluid, though she currently has no real pain and is able to be at home. She is already over a year past the first “expiration date” her doctors gave her! They are very active in evangelism, being members of the Salvation Army, and they planned today’s program as an evangelistic outreach. About a third of those expected will step into a church building for the first time today. A few days ago I spoke to their son who is currently living with them as support in this time, noting the conflicting emotions he was doubtless feeling, and he was very appreciative of my understanding. I will be in charge of videoing the whole thing, since the couple’s daughter lives in the US, and my wife and I will be singing a bilingual song about the love of God for us. My biggest personal concern is that I will be able to do the video editing afterward correctly, since there will be two cameras, and I’m not experienced in editing. I am filled with empathy for the couple, since my own wife has a list of medical issues, and I have thought many times about what it would be like if my wife precedes me, which she is likely to do. Today I am to “Rejoice with those who rejoice; mourn with those who mourn.” (Romans 12:15) My prayer is that I will do it well.

Father, I do pray for the couple and their family, and for all of today’s activities. The couple is well loved, for excellent reason, and they are loved most by You. May today be an effective demonstration of Your love to both those present and those who observe from a distance, so that You may be glorified and people be brought into Your family. Thank You. Hallelujah!

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Heart Attitude; May 18, 2025

Posted on May 19, 2025 by jgarrott

2 Chronicles 30:18-20 But Hezekiah prayed for them, saying, “May the Lord, who is good, pardon everyone who sets their heart on seeking God—the Lord, the God of their ancestors—even if they are not clean according to the rules of the sanctuary.” And the Lord heard Hezekiah and healed the people.

This is one of many places that indicate that God is far more interested in our hearts than in our ceremonies. Some places say it a little more directly, but this is certainly clear enough. This was a massive, national return to Yahweh, and He received it as such. We get all caught up in rules and regulations to the point that sometimes we forget what they are all about. This is something that Paul wrote about extensively. The letter to the Galatians is all about taking them to task for forgetting what faith is all about. Ephesians 2:8-9 famously encapsulates it: “For it is by grace you have been saved, through faith—and this is not from yourselves, it is the gift of God—not by works, so that no one can boast.” The people in Hezekiah’s day didn’t have the prescribed “works,” but they dedicated their hearts to return to the God of their fathers, and God was pleased with that. In Jesus’ day, many of the Pharisees were ritually perfect, but Jesus said they were no better than “whitewashed tombs.” (Matthew 23:27) Ceremonies have meaning, and we aren’t to take them lightly, but above all God wants our hearts, and we must never forget it.

I was thankfully not raised in a ritualistic environment, but I still have the tendency to just go through the motions at times. I must not do that! Occasionally I am tempted to skip morning devotions, but I know well that impulse is from the devil! That said, this morning I overslept just a bit, so my devotional time has been interrupted, but I’m back at it. Maintaining right priorities is always a choice, but it is one that is amply rewarded. I am to be careful that right actions are motivated by a heart that is right with my Lord. When that is the case, the result will be His will being done, for His glory.

Father, thank You for this reminder. Today’s schedule is certainly packed. Thank You for the man who called yesterday confirming our service schedule. I pray that he would indeed show up, and would encounter You here. Thank You for the Shigeta family members who will be here. I pray that they too would be aware of Your presence, and that everything would go smoothly in the cleaning and then the preparations for tomorrow’s special service. I pray that it would be done quickly enough that there will be no conflict with the marriage counseling I’ll be doing from four. In all of this, may I indeed rest, relax, and rejoice in You, just as You have told me, so that Your will may be done perfectly, for Your glory. Thank You. Praise God!

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Suddenly; May 17, 2025

Posted on May 18, 2025 by jgarrott

2 Chronicles 29:36 Hezekiah and all the people rejoiced at what God had brought about for his people, because it was done so quickly.

Jewish history has some incredible swings in relation to their devotion to God. Looking at the first part of this chapter, it’s almost hard to imagine the complete reversal brought about by King Hezekiah. The thing is, if they had been more aware of their own history in the first place, it seems unlikely that they would have gotten so far off track. However, as Einstein is credited with having said, “Two things are infinite: the universe and human stupidity. And I’m not so sure about the universe.” When society trends toward stupidity, a hunger for common sense builds up, and if there is a trigger event, things can indeed happen with great speed, just as this verse says. I personally look forward to what will happen with regime changes in Iran, China, and North Korea. Iran in particular has a fairly recent history of modernity and rationality, and there have been various signs of a strong, pent-up demand to return to such a lifestyle. We can’t exactly make it happen, but we can certainly pray! America, even, is in an almost whiplash situation, going from left to right, and the changes within this year are at times astounding. The thing to remember in all of this is that nothing is impossible for God, and His schedule can seem completely unrelated to ours. As Peter pointed out, “With the Lord a day is like a thousand years, and a thousand years are like a day.” (2 Peter 3:8) We can’t necessarily predict when God is going to act, but we had better be ready! At this point, many things seem to indicate that Christ’s return is imminent, but again, specific schedules are guaranteed to be wrong. We need to be living so that if the Day is today, it will be all rejoicing for us, and not regret at what we have failed to do.

Looking back over my own life, I have had some pretty sudden transitions. I’ve handled some of them better than others! Most recently it was retirement from school teaching, but that seems to have stabilized. Things are changing in this church, and I don’t know when decisive moments will arrive. I am to focus on faithfulness, but not demand what feels like stability. My stability needs to be in Christ Jesus my Lord, not depending on anything else. Frankly, that’s easier to say than to do. I have the tendency to depend on my intellect, when that is totally insignificant in the eternal scheme of things. At this point I am looking forward to the “suddenly” of transition from this life to the next, but in the mean time I am to make full use of every opportunity the Lord gives me to serve Him.

Father, thank You for this reminder. The pace of life, of change, has certainly picked up over the centuries. My ancestors would have been amazed! Help me indeed rest, relax, and rejoice in You, however fast or slowly things seem to be going, so that I will be fully available and useful to You, for Your glory. Thank You. Praise God!

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Revival and Politics; May 16, 2025

Posted on May 17, 2025 by jgarrott

2 Chronicles 23:16 Jehoiada then made a covenant that he, the people and the king would be the Lord’s people.

This is one of the more dramatically violent revivals recorded in the Bible, but it was indeed a revival. (Elijah on Mt. Carmel also comes to mind.) Joash, the king mentioned here, was just seven years old at the time, so he actually had very little to do with it. Jehoiada, the high priest in this verse, was the “mover and shaker” in this drama, and the necessity of reform is very clear from what is recorded, with a “house of Baal” right there in Jerusalem. Athaliah, the “villain” in this story, was Joash’s grandmother. It is very tempting to draw all sorts of parallels between this account and the current US political situation, but that would quickly become overblown. What we can do is recognize that government is not totally separated from religion, despite all the protestations of “separation of Church and State,” which take a statement by Thomas Jefferson completely out of context. If those in charge of civil government don’t recognize that God is real and in charge of everything, all sorts of aberrations appear. Going back to the Old Testament record, it is clear that for revival to be lasting, it has to extend throughout society. As it turned out, Joash was very weak, and once Jehoiada died he was quickly turned away from the Lord. As Paul told us, we are certainly to pray for those in government leadership, (1 Timothy 2:1-2) but we should pray for those around us, including our families and even ourselves, to have hearts open and committed to the Lord. America isn’t a monarchy but rather a democratic republic, a form of governance that didn’t exist in Biblical times. If the people are dedicated to God, they will elect representatives who are likewise faithful, and everything will be in right order. There are countless ways that can break down, so prayer and personal faithfulness are essential.

I hadn’t expected to write on this, and many people wouldn’t consider it “spiritual” at all. However, our relationship with God colors every aspect of our life, whether we recognize it or not. Human beings are fallible by definition, and opinions are all over the place. I am not to cut anyone off because of their opinions, but I am to speak the truth in love and pray that I and those I relate to may be increasingly open to God’s truth, not in pride but in humility.

Father, thank You for this reminder. These are tumultuous times, but then, much of history has been this way. Help me keep my eyes on You, and on Christ Jesus my Lord, so that I may be useful to You in Your rule and reign being established as Your will is done, even as it is in heaven, for Your glory alone. Thank You. Hallelujah!

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Response to God; May 15, 2025

Posted on May 16, 2025 by jgarrott

2 Chronicles 20:18-19 Jehoshaphat bowed down with his face to the ground, and all the people of Judah and Jerusalem fell down in worship before the Lord. Then some Levites from the Kohathites and Korahites stood up and praised the Lord, the God of Israel, with a very loud voice.

I have loved this story for many years, to the point that I got happy just seeing that today’s reading was from this chapter. It is a beautiful story of God’s protection and provision, but what strikes me here is the people’s response to prophecy. We don’t have any other record of Jehaziel serving as a prophet of God, but when he spoke on this occasion, the king and all the people recognized it for what it was, and responded from their hearts. This must have been quite a sight, with the king and all his officials bowing to the ground in recognition of having heard the Word of the Lord. I get tickled at the description of the Levite choir, because I’ve always had a pretty loud voice! The point is, they heard the Word and responded in transparent sincerity. That they were sincere is proved by what they did after this, acting in obedience. It is very significant that they sent the choir at the head of their army, and verse 22 records that when they began to sing and praise, the Lord set an ambush against their enemies and totally wiped them out. Absolutely nothing is impossible for God, but He often seems to wait for our response to Him before He acts. That’s because He is most interested in our hearts, and the growth of our faith and commitment. If we are unmoved by what He says to us, how can we expect Him to move on our behalf?

I have long recognized that James 1:22 was written expressly for me: “Do not merely listen to the word, and so deceive yourselves. Do what it says.” As someone with Teacher gifting, I tend to feel that truth is truth, period. The problem is, truth must be received and acted on for it to be operative. Just as Jehoshaphat and his people received the prophecy and acted on it, I’ve got to act on what the Lord says to me, through the Bible and in other ways. Otherwise, I’m just deceiving myself, just as James said. I have countless examples to inspire and encourage me, of people who acted in obedience to what they felt God was saying to them. Closest to home for me would be my parents, who left their homes to come to Japan as missionaries, not knowing that God would bring them together in marriage and draw many to Himself through them. My own wife knew from the time she was 12 that God wanted her to be a missionary, and from 13 He made it clear to her that it would be to Japan. Just yesterday I had the privilege of baptizing a 100-year-old woman who came to faith because of the love expressed through my wife. I am never to hesitate to do what the Lord tells me, because He is God.

Father, thank You for this reminder and affirmation. Thank You indeed for the privilege of baptizing that woman. Thank You for all the things You’ve done through me over the years, and for all that You will continue to do through me. May I always respond to You in loving obedience and praise, for Your glory. Thank You. Hallelujah!

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Follow-through; May 14, 2025

Posted on May 15, 2025 by jgarrott

2 Chronicles 15:7 “But as for you, be strong and do not give up, for your work will be rewarded.”

This is not a complicated prophecy, but obviously Asa’s heart was prepared to receive it, and likewise the hearts of those close to him. The Japanese clearly expresses this in the plural – “ya’ll”, or “you guys” – which is something standard English lacks. Asa couldn’t have done this by himself, even though he was king. We don’t need complicated theology to follow God, we just need faith and commitment. Asa had several strikes against him when he started, including a poor home environment. Verse 16 says that his own mother had been involved in idolatry, but he took this prophecy to heart and clung to Yahweh. We have no excuses, because each individual is personally accountable to God. Asa didn’t do everything right after that, including a major blunder that is recorded in the next chapter, but he certainly made a good start. The lesson for us is twofold: we need faith and commitment, and we need follow-through. Good starts aren’t so difficult, but the daily slog of trust and obedience can drag us down. We need to remember that God isn’t there just in the good times, but in every moment of every day. One of the major lessons of the whole Bible, taught through good examples and bad examples, is that God calls for faithfulness. Even Jesus spoke of two sons, one who said the right things and didn’t follow through, and the other who was initially rebellious but who ended up being obedient, and He praised the second. (Matthew 21:28-32) We need to listen to what God is saying to us, and then we need to be careful to follow through and do it, as He gives us the strength and ability.

A: It seems like God has been saying a lot about faithfulness recently! He has carried me wonderfully to this point, and I certainly am not to back off. Various things have caused me to look back over my life, and I am in awe of how patient God has been with me. I certainly don’t want to abandon Him now! Various people I have known for many years are leaving this life, and others seem to be deciding, “I’m old,” and pulling back in their obedience to God. I don’t want to do that! I am to be wise and not presumptive in my activities, but as Azariah the son of Oded said to Asa, I am to take courage and not let my hands be weak, because my work will be rewarded.

Father, thank You for this encouraging reminder. Thank You for all You enabled me to do yesterday, including some real physical labor. Thank You for Your plans for today, which include a baptism. That is of far more importance and reward than the physical labor! I pray that my every moment would be spend doing what You desire of me, in fellowship with You by Your Spirit, for Your glory. Thank You. Hallelujah!

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Faithfulness; May 13, 2025

Posted on May 14, 2025 by jgarrott

2 Chronicles 7:1 When Solomon finished praying, fire came down from heaven and consumed the burnt offering and the sacrifices, and the glory of the Lord filled the temple.

We’ve never experienced anything like this, and it’s probably a good thing! It is hardly surprising that the people prostrated themselves on the ground after this, as it records in verse three. We tend to forget that God being omnipotent means, literally, that He has all power. This was a very minor thing for Him, but it certainly had massive impact on the people! So why doesn’t He do things like this more often? I think it’s because He wants our love and obedience to be by choice, by faith rather than by coercion. Also, even being present for a display like this didn’t keep Solomon, even, from idolatry, done to please his multiple foreign wives, as the memory of this event faded into the past. Big events, and certainly big encounters with God, are markers in our lives, and we are to be grateful for them, but in the final analysis it is the daily faithfulness that matters most. I am reminded of James and John, the sons of Zebedee. They both said that they were able to “drink the cup that Jesus would drink,” and Jesus said they would do that. (Matthew 20:22-23) That was certainly referring to His sacrificial death, but James gave his life in a moment, by being beheaded, (Acts 12:2) and John was the only one of the original 12 apostles to die a natural death. Both of them gave their lives for Christ and the Gospel, but James had the much easier path! We are to ask and allow the Holy Spirit to work the events of our life into our hearts to grow and transform us as God intends, not allowing such things to be just a “flash in the pan,” as the idiom goes. God desires faithfulness above all.

This is something I’ve learned over the years, as faithfulness has been demanded of me. How faithful I have been is for God to decide, because He has certainly been faithful to me! I too have desired big things, dramatic moments and huge victories, but that hasn’t been the path the Lord has laid out for me. That said, I have seen others who, like Solomon, have had such big events and still have strayed badly. I’d rather be a faithful nobody! It is always a huge blessing to realize I have just been used by God, or even that God is in the process of using me. Such things fill me with gratitude. I don’t expect more than 20 more years on this earth, and my focus is more and more on hearing my Lord say, “Well done, good and faithful servant.” (Matthew 25:21, 23) That will be glory indeed!

Father, thank You for this reminder. Thank You for getting me through the packed week last week, and for the relatively slow week this week, before another packed week following that. Thank You that I don’t have to be anxious about any of it! Guide me as I take care of the things that are on today’s schedule, that everything may go as You desire, accomplishing Your purposes on Your schedule for Your glory. Thank You. Praise God!

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Stewardship; May 12, 2025

Posted on May 13, 2025 by jgarrott

1 Chronicles 29:14 “But who am I, and who are my people, that we should be able to give as generously as this? Everything comes from you, and we have given you only what comes from your hand.”

It’s interesting how much trouble we tend to have with this fundamental truth that David expressed. When we give things to God, or more specifically, to a church, we tend to feel like He owes us, or at least that somebody owes us something. How foolish! We certainly didn’t create ourselves, and though our effort was probably involved, any wealth we might have has come from outside of us. All we can really offer God that wasn’t His in the first place is love, obedience, and praise. David was rightly blown out of the water by how much he and his people were able to give for the construction of the temple. I don’t know what the financial calculations would be, but it was a staggering sum! As David rightly realized, it was evidence of how good and generous God had been to them. Material offerings are indeed useful for the operation of the church, but what God really wants is our hearts. If we are properly dedicated to Him, then all other giving becomes a joy and privilege. This doesn’t mean at all that we are to be passive. That’s the whole point of Jesus’ parable of the talents in Matthew 25. We have come to use “talent” as meaning “ability,” but it was originally a weight, and applied to gold or silver, that meant money. With either meaning, we are accountable to God for what He has provided to us. If our stewardship has produced an increase, then it should be our joy to return it to Him. After all, we won’t take any of it from this life!

I have never had very much financially, but God has been very generous in terms of abilities. My stewardship of those has been spotty, to say the least. They enabled me to carry a clarinet more than a gun while I was in the Army, and I am certainly grateful for that. However, I haven’t touched either of my clarinets for over a year. I was delighted to be able to do the electrical wiring for this building, and I’m looking forward to replacing a defective LED fixture this morning, but that has never been a paid occupation. Simply the ability to walk is a gift from God. When weather and schedule allow, I try to do a 5K walk three times a week, taking pictures of birds and such along the way, and I very much look forward to doing that this morning. I need to be conscious in giving that to God, praying as I walk. That is certainly the way of blessing! I don’t know when the “expiration date” is on any of the abilities I’ve been given, but I don’t want to waste them. They came from my Lord and belong to Him, so I am to use them as He directs.

Father, thank You for this reminder. Thank You for the delighted anticipation I feel about putting in that light fixture. Thank You that schedule and weather have coincided so I will be able to walk this morning. Guide in my interaction with that man I often see on the way, that he may truly understand that You love him and want to make him Your child. May I be a steward pleasing to You with every minute You give me today, for Your glory. Thank You. Praise God!

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Wealth; May 11, 2025

Posted on May 12, 2025 by jgarrott

1 Chronicles 29:9 The people rejoiced at the willing response of their leaders, for they had given freely and wholeheartedly to the Lord. David the king also rejoiced greatly.

It does feel good to be able to give! Some people don’t seem to have discovered this fact, and that’s sad. At the same time, the figures given just before this of how much was given are an indication of the extremely uneven distribution of wealth back then. Historically, the whole idea of a “middle class” is a fairly recent development. That said, I doubt that anyone I know, much less anyone reading this by way of the Internet, is in what would historically be abject poverty. Society today is actually unimaginable luxury, on the historical scale. So why is there so much unhappiness? Because our perspective shifts with our circumstances. Over a hundred years ago one of the richest men in America at the time was asked, “How much is enough?” His answer? “A little bit more.” Jesus addressed that directly when he said, “What good is it for someone to gain the whole world, and yet lose or forfeit their very self?” (Luke 9:25) This also ties in with what is the only quote of Jesus that isn’t in the Gospels: “It is more blessed to give than to receive.” (Acts 25:35) God gives us the resources necessary for us, but how we relate to them greatly affects how much we enjoy them. A stingy person is not a happy person! One of the most important things Jesus taught, in terms of daily happiness, is, “But seek first his kingdom and his righteousness, and all these things will be given to you as well.” (Matthew 6:33) When our focus is on the material, we will never be satisfied. When our focus is on God and His kingdom, then life is an ever-increasing feast.

Growing up, I was never particularly aware of finances, which indicates wisdom on my parents’ part. Thankfully, my parents’ mission board didn’t require that they scrounge up their own support, but the salary certainly wasn’t overwhelming. When my parents inherited funds from their parents, the adjustment wasn’t all that easy! I do know that they tithed faithfully. In my own personal finances, I never worried about money until I had a wife and then children to support (though I did do some stupid things as a college student, not properly valuing what I had versus what I wanted). Between marriage and the birth of our second child we did have some very tight times, but I look back on them as valuable growing experiences. Around the time our second daughter was born, my wife and I both felt strongly that we should resume tithing. We had largely forgotten that part of stewardship, though we had both been raised in it, but we never had a tenth of our income left over at the end of the month. We finally decided to take the tenth out as soon as funds came in, and what do you know, at the end of that month we had a little left over! In the 50+ years since then, God has met our needs beautifully, often in very unexpected ways. Recently we received an inheritance from a relative who had no particular reason to think so kindly of us! Now, we are delighting to give in a variety of ways, but are striving always to seek first God’s kingdom and His righteousness.

Father, thank You for Your provision, and for the privilege of giving. May we be the stewards You want us to be, not just of material resources but of all You pour out on us, for the blessing of those around us and for Your glory. Thank You. Praise God!

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