December 12, 2011

Posted on December 14, 2011 by jgarrott

Matthew 2:4 When he had called together all the people’s chief priests and teachers of the law, he asked them where the Christ was to be born.

Human vanity is incredible at times! King Herod figured out right away that only the Messiah would generate astrological signs at His birth, yet he thought he could somehow interfere with God’s plans. He had no idea that he was simply playing into those plans and fulfilling prophecy in the process. However, he was not alone in his attitude, because the “chief priests and scribes” mentioned here, though they knew the Scripture well enough to say where the Messiah was to be born, didn’t go to seek Him themselves. It does no good to know about God if you don’t seek to serve Him. Many Christians in America seek to apply one litmus test or another to see if people are ready to be baptized, and probably all of them have some validity. However, as the old English saying goes, the proof of the pudding is in the eating. You can have a thorough theological knowledge of God and still not be saved, if your heart isn’t committed to Jesus as Lord. At one time I read that one of the foremost experts on New Testament manuscripts at that point was a non-messianic Jew! He had all of the information in his head, but he hadn’t transferred it to his heart, just like the priests and scribes in this verse. Knowledge of Scripture is good, but it is no substitute for a commitment to obedience.

I am in greater danger of this trap than most, having grown up steeped in the Bible, and it has tripped me up numerous times. For much of my life I wasn’t nearly the Christian I thought I was! Even after God so graciously tapped me on the shoulder and showed me a mirror so that I could see my pride, I still persisted in vestiges of it for many years. Frankly, it still troubles me! I know well that knowing facts is no substitute for obedience, yet I still disobey all too often. The people I work with have a much shallower familiarity with the Bible, and in my teaching I have a tendency to presume too much prior knowledge. I am never to put anyone down for simple ignorance, but neither am I to let someone be satisfied to be ignorant. I need to encourage everyone to get into the Word, not as academic knowledge but as the Bread of Life, to be fed on and assimilated and applied in every detail of life.

Father, thank You for Your amazing grace to me. Thank You for choosing me, apart from any virtue on my part, to transmit Your Word to others. Help me apply that Word more and more fully in my own life, so that I may encourage and train others to do likewise. Help us all be fully open to Your Spirit, in joyful, humble obedience, so that You may be free to do in and through us all that You desire, for Your kingdom and Your glory. Thank You. Hallelujah!

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December 12, 2011

Posted on December 14, 2011 by jgarrott

Luke 2:19 But Mary treasured up all these things and pondered them in her heart.

Once again Mary is a good example for us. We are so quick to forget what we have been told, and even what we have experienced. Throughout the Bible we are told to think about, meditate on, the Word of the Lord. Most of the time we let it go in one ear and out the other, if we actually take it in at all. What God intends is for us to think about His Word enough to put it into practice. Jesus specified that that is the the way to blessing. (John 13:17) Anything less is deceiving ourselves. (James 1:22) It is demonstrated daily that what we think about enough eventually gets acted out. That’s why our thought life is so important. There are indeed impulsive sins/crimes, but most of what makes it into the news has been thought about for some time before it is actually committed, and that’s just the stuff that violates human laws. Physical adultery, for example, is never a first-impulse thing, and Jesus pointed that out specifically. (Matthew 5:28) The answer, logically enough, is to fill our minds and hearts with good stuff, as Paul pointed out. (Philippians 4:8) The more we think about what God says to us, the more likely we will put it into practice.

I’ve got a lot of room for growth here. I’m very familiar with a high percentage of the Bible, but that doesn’t mean I’m practicing it all. I allow all sorts of things to fill my thoughts that don’t fit the criteria Paul pointed out in Philippians. As D. L. Moody said to the young man who questioned him about purity, I can’t keep such birds from flying over my head, but I can certainly keep them from building nests in my hair! I think I’m fairly well past the “nest” phase, but such thoughts leave residue, just as birds sometimes do when they fly over. To modify Paul’s expression a bit, I need regular “Word shampoos!” (Ephesians 5:26) Daily devotions like this are certainly good, but I indeed need to do more meditating on what I’ve taken in. This is what I desire for my flock, so I need to set the example.

Father, thank You again for Your grace, to me and to us all. Thank You for Scripture songs that make it easy to mull over Your Word. Help me indeed apply the truth I know, not deceiving myself and not allowing the devil to deceive me either, so that I may walk in all that You intend for me, for the blessing of many and for Your glory. Thank You. Hallelujah!

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December 10, 2011

Posted on December 14, 2011 by jgarrott

Matthew 1:24-25 When Joseph woke up, he did what the angel of the Lord had commanded him and took Mary home as his wife. But he had no union with her until she gave birth to a son. And he gave him the name Jesus.

We are rightly impressed with Mary’s faith, but as a man, I’ve always been impressed with Joseph’s faith as well. I can imagine and empathize with what was going on in his mind and heart as he learned of Mary’s pregnancy. That he didn’t want to disgrace her publicly speaks volumes of how he felt about her. His sense of betrayal had to be intense. However, his faith was such that all it took was an angelic dream to change his mind. The Lord speaks to different people in different ways, and the record is that He used dreams frequently with Joseph. I wonder what previous dreams had led Joseph to the place of trusting them so firmly? I think that in all probability he was very relieved to have a reason not to accuse Mary, because he still cared for her very much. Still, his example of obedience to all the Lord spoke to him, through dreams, no less, is powerful indeed.

Off hand I can’t remember being directed by the Lord through a dream, but I have certainly had many times of being sure the Lord was speaking to me. Twice He has spoken distinctly to the ears of my heart, briefly and simply each time, but powerfully. He has spoken to me through prophecy spoken by a brother or sister in Christ, and even through my own mouth. Far more often, He has given me clear impressions of what He would have me do, and most often He has made the words of Scripture come alive to me. I am not to grade those as more or less valuable, and neither am I to try to dictate how God is to speak to me. Rather, I am to seek always to be sensitive to Him to hear whatever He wants to say, however He wants to say it. To do that, my heart must be committed to obedience, no less than Joseph’s was, even before I hear His instructions.

Father, this is a truth I explain and teach to others, yet I don’t always walk in it myself. There are times when my mind is made up, and You would have to shout to get through to me. Forgive me. Help me be increasingly sensitive and tuned to You, neither quenching nor grieving Your Holy Spirit, so that I may have full communication with You and act in every detail as You desire, for Your pleasure and glory. Thank You. Praise God!

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December 9, 2011

Posted on December 11, 2011 by jgarrott

Isaiah 60:1 “Arise, shine, for your light has come,
and the glory of the LORD rises upon you.

Whereas there are places in the Bible that on the surface seem contradictory to us, there are far more that obviously reinforce one another, and this is certainly one of those. This dovetails beautifully with Jesus’ statement that He is the light of the world (John 8:12, 9:5, and 12:46) and that we in turn are the light of the world. (Matthew 5:14,16) This particular verse ties those statements together, because it is telling God’s people to shine (Matthew 5:16) because their light, Christ, has come. The point is that we are to shine, not from any inherent brightness of our own, but because of God’s glory within us. Paul touched on this repeatedly. (2 Corinthians 4:7, Colossians 1:27) The more we are focused on ourselves, the less we will shine. The more we are focused on Christ, the brighter we will be. Having written that, I realize there is a useful double meaning to that, because being focused on Christ not only causes us to shine, it also makes us smarter, as the Bible says. (Proverbs 9:10 and many more) The world around us can be very dark indeed, and in such circumstances it doesn’t take a very bright light to be noticed. We are to trust God and focus on Christ, and let His light shine through us.

This is a truth that I have tried to live by, as well as communicate to others, as is obvious from the fact that Matthew 5:14,16 is our passage for the year as a church. However, that doesn’t mean I do it perfectly all the time. In this society it can be difficult to persuade people to be willing to shine, because uniformity is prized so much. However, I must not give up, because we are called to lead others into discipleship, and that happens only when take our focus off of ourselves and fix it on Christ Jesus our Lord.

Father, as much as I want people to shine, I have to deal with them where they are, just as You do. Help me not give up on anyone, but treat them gently, teaching and admonishing in love and grace, so that each one may be brought out of the traps that have ensnared them, to walk in the glorious liberty of Your Spirit, for Your glory. Thank You. Praise God!

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December 8, 2011

Posted on December 11, 2011 by jgarrott

Luke 2:7 And she gave birth to her firstborn, a son. She wrapped him in cloths and placed him in a manger, because there was no room for them in the inn.

Essentially everyone in America knows this verse, and particularly in recent years I have heard many people claim it means that Mary and Joseph were essentially homeless, when that isn’t the case. Infrastructure wasn’t at all then what it is today, and given the size of Bethlehem, there’s a reasonable probability that there was indeed only one inn. With the census going on, which was after all why Mary and Joseph were there in the first place, it isn’t surprising that the inn was full. However, Matthew indicates that not long after the birth they were in a house, which they must have either rented or even bought. (Matthew 2:11) Had the innkeeper known who was at his door, he might well have evicted one or more of his other guests to make room, but that isn’t what happened. The point is that the Messiah isn’t pushy: He didn’t evict anyone to make room for Himself. Today, Jesus desires to enter people’s hearts, but will do so only as they make room; He won’t force His way in. We tend to fill our hearts with all sorts of things, when Christ is the only thing that will satisfy. Likewise, the Holy Spirit will flow into every nook and cranny if we will welcome Him, but we have to open the door. Even after salvation, most of us have things in our hearts that take up room that should be devoted to God alone, and that is a big part of what spiritual growth is all about. The more room we give Him, the more He takes up residence, that that is glorious indeed.

I’m preaching to myself here. As long as I’ve walked with the Lord, as many spiritual advantages as I’ve been given, I have to admit that I still fail to yield things to God all too often. Physically speaking I’m a great scrounger, delighting to find useful things others have discarded. That’s not such a big problem, but when I start scrounging things spiritually, that is a big problem. I encounter things every day: challenges, problems, insults, hurts, anxieties. I need to face each one honestly, without setting them up in my heart to occupy room that belongs only to the King of kings. Just as I have difficulty letting go of physical things, I need to be aggressive in letting go of things spiritually and emotionally. That doesn’t mean I’m to be an emotionless zombie, but rather that I’m to hang onto Christ alone, and not to any of the other stuff that passes through. And having said that, I realize that as a pastor, I need to help others do the same thing. I certainly can’t do that in my own wisdom and strength!

Father, thank You for once again pointing out my complete dependence on Christ. As Jesus said, apart from Him I can do nothing. (John 15:5) Help me deal with the junk in my own heart so that, filled with Your presence by Your Spirit, I may be able to help others as well. May neither I individually nor the church as a whole quench or grieve Your Spirit, but allow You to flow through us unhindered, for the salvation of many and for Your glory. Thank You. Hallelujah!

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December 7, 2011

Posted on December 11, 2011 by jgarrott

MIC 5:2 “But you, Bethlehem Ephrathah,
though you are small among the clans of Judah,
out of you will come for me
one who will be ruler over Israel,
whose origins are from of old,
from ancient times. ”

Even Herod’s scribes recognized that this prophecy was Messianic, and it is firmly planted in the canon of Christmas Scriptures for that reason, but it is seldom analyzed beyond that. Two things stand out to me. The first is that Bethlehem was a normally insignificant town, despite having been the location for the Book of Ruth and the subsequent birth of King David. It doesn’t feature in any of the sagas of military action in the centuries following Solomon, and nobody paid it much attention. However, something being insignificant to men has never stopped God from using it mightily! As God pointed out through Zechariah, people tend to despise small things, but He doesn’t. (Zechariah 4:10) Today, some people think little of aborting an embryo, forgetting that they too were once such a small clump of cells. Small does not mean insignificant in God’s eyes! The second thing that stands out to me is that God’s plan of salvation was from “eternity past,” to use the expression from the Japanese here. The Bible says in several places that God knew from the outset what it was going to take to bring mankind to salvation, and He was willing to pay the price. That doesn’t mean that our sin is insignificant, it means that God’s grace is much greater than our sin. As Paul went to some length to point out, that doesn’t mean that it’s OK to sin; rather, it means that we are to walk in humble repentance and obedience. (Romans 5 & 6)

I was not raised to think of myself as insignificant, but thankfully I wasn’t raised to despise others, either. However, that doesn’t mean that I haven’t sometimes had distorted evaluations of myself or others. Right now this church is indeed small in numbers, but we have at least as many people as Jesus’ original band of disciples, and God has certainly demonstrated what He can do with that! I am not to have an inflated view of myself or this church, but I am never to discount what God can do through us. Legally, we have just been established, in terms of government registration, and God alone knows all that He plans to do through us. As I consider that and seek to follow His plans, I need to remember that He had all this figured out from eternity past, and not be anxious about anything. I’m not to be irresponsible, but neither am I to think it depends on me. God is more than capable of establishing His kingdom, and that is what I am to pray and work for.

Father, thank You for this reminder. It’s interesting how often I need to be reminded of things I already know! Thank You for knowing my weakness and meeting me where I am. Help me indeed move on into all that You have planned, for the salvation of many and for Your glory. Thank You. Praise God!

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December 6, 2011

Posted on December 6, 2011 by jgarrott

Luke 1:49 “for the Mighty One has done great things for me–
holy is his name.”

Now this is faith. Mary was a single girl in a society that had extreme prohibitions on premarital sex, and God had caused her to be pregnant. Even so, she didn’t say, “God did this to me,” but “God did this for me.” The current President of the US has referred to girls being “punished” with a child, but Mary didn’t see it that way, even though she risked being stoned. World population growth has some today seeing mankind as a plague upon the earth, but the Bible never looks at it that way. Advances in food production, as well as responsible stewardship of the earth, are certainly called for, but considering children punishment, or even a curse, is definitely not from God. There are many answers we don’t have, but the key to getting the answers we need is looking to God and thanking Him for what we have. Once again, Mary is our example in faith.

I find I get pretty emotional in my reactions to the many lies that are proclaimed as truth, but that is generally just wasting energy. I need to choose to trust God regardless of what is being thrown at me, giving Him thanks and praise in the middle of it all. Recent studies have shown conclusively that people of faith are far happier, and even healthier, than those who pursue a humanistic agenda. Having written that, I realize the irony of calling “humanistic” an ideology that demonstrates an active hatred of humanity! I need to remember where such thinking comes from, and seek to rescue people from the devil’s snares, one person at a time. Actually, if God brings them in in groups I certainly won’t complain, but I am to be faithful on the individual level. It is when I radiate the fruit of the Spirit that people are drawn to desire it for themselves, and so move from rebellion to faith, from darkness to light.

Father, thank You for this reminder. The “documentary” last night on TV was certainly a piece of highly biased propaganda, and there’s a lot of that out there. Help me walk in Your peace, not being surprised at the lies but standing firm against them, so that like Mary I may be fully available for all You want to do in and through me, for Your glory. Thank You. Praise God!

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December 5, 2011

Posted on December 6, 2011 by jgarrott

Luke 1:37-37 “For nothing is impossible with God.”
“I am the Lord’s servant,” Mary answered. “May it be to me as you have said.” Then the angel left her.

When a passage becomes so familiar that you can quote it in two languages without every having tried to memorize it, the impact can easily be dulled. With Scripture, that is a tremendous waste! Gabriel’s statement is one we can quote but still have trouble believing emotionally. We are so quick to pull God down to our own level in our thinking. That of course doesn’t change God any, but it can have a drastic effect on our faith. It would seem Mary didn’t have that problem! And of course, her response to Gabriel is a a model for believers down through the centuries. Even when we understand what God wants to do in and through us, we can be very slow to submit our wills to His. Mary, however, does not seem to have hesitated, even though what had been told her would have drastic consequences in the short run, and she hadn’t been told the long term benefits. We today need not only to believe that God can do anything, we need to give Him full permission to use us in the process, whatever that means.

I am reminded of the story of my father lying prostrate on the floor, crying out to God that if he was standing in the way of revival in Japan, that God would take him out of the way. That was Mary’s attitude, and I need to have the same. I want God’s kingdom to come and His will to be done, whatever that means for me personally. In the short term it could mean almost anything, but in the long term it will mean blessing and glory, and I need to remember that. I cannot dictate to God how He will use me, and I had better not try. I think I did a bit of that in the past! Rather, I need to hold myself available, being faithful in my obedience in all that I know He has for me to do. Faith like Mary’s is a gift, but we arrive at it through exercising the faith we already have, whatever the level or degree. As I keep telling others to do, I need to get my eyes off of myself and what I can do or can’t do, and fix them on God who can do anything, even through me.

Father, thank You for this reminder, particularly after a day like yesterday. I was tired from the outset, yet You were faithful to use me, speaking a message through me that evidently blessed many, and giving me energy to get through Gospel Choir practice and Joint Choir practice, with both turning out pretty well. The schedule is packed for the next three weeks, but You are more than able to carry me through it all, with good results for Your glory. Help me indeed rest, relax, and rejoice in You, as You intend. Thank You. Hallelujah!

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December 4, 3011

Posted on December 6, 2011 by jgarrott

Isaiah 7:9 “‘If you do not stand firm in your faith,
you will not stand at all.'”

For once, I really like the turn of phrase in the NIV! I’m sure the Japanese is a bit closer to the Hebrew when it says, “If you do not believe, you will not stand for long.” The benefit of the Japanese in this case is in making it clear that “you” is plural: he wasn’t just talking to the king. The NIV, however, makes use of English expressions to put this truth very memorably, and that’s a good thing. Situations where this applies occur in every believer’s life. We believe, but we are tested as to whether we will stand in the faith we have, and sometimes we don’t. That’s the thing about faith: it must be exercised to be real. Many Christians in countries with religious freedom have very weak faith, not really so much because it hasn’t been tested as because they don’t realize it’s being tested, and so fail to stand in it. That’s certainly not the case in countries where claiming to be a Christian immediately invites trouble! For example, Americans’ faith is tested in their choices of entertainment, but they rarely see it that way. Even people who are very clear, when asked, that Jesus is the only way to salvation fail to seek Him in the details of their lives, and so live lives that are indistinguishable from their non-believing neighbors. That’s no way to stand when real troubles come!

I have to plead guilty here. I do turn off junky media, either TV or the Internet, but not nearly fast enough. Temptations in this area abound for everyone, and I need to stand firm not just for myself, but for those I shepherd as well. If I’m not standing firm, I won’t be able to help them stand. Personal purity is not an option, and if I am going to call others to holiness, I must walk in it myself. Likewise, my faith is tested in areas like finances. I try to help others who struggle with trusting God, but how do I respond to restricted cash flow myself? I had a major lesson in that area when we were building this building, but I can’t say I follow through 100% even so. “Standing in faith” applies to every area of life, and is expressed in trusting obedience. Putting it that way make it clear how much room I have to grow!

Father, thank You for this reminder, and thank You again for Your patience with me. As I am reminded from time to time, I’ve got to walk in the truth I know, or I am deceiving myself. Help me walk in all that You have poured into me, so that Your will may be done in and through me consistently, for Your glory. Thank You. Praise God!

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December 3, 2011

Posted on December 6, 2011 by jgarrott

Matthew 1:1 A record of the genealogy of Jesus Christ the son of David, the son of Abraham:

For someone with no background in the OT, it makes no sense to start the NT with a genealogy that is a collection of unpronounceable names. However, Matthew was writing to Jews, and modern computer analysis indicates he probably wrote in Aramaic, that was only later translated into Greek. For someone familiar with OT prophecy and the history of the Jewish people, this genealogy is rich indeed. God fulfilled His promise to Abraham through some remarkable people and some pretty unlikely people. Of the three women mentioned, two were Gentile and one was an adulteress! Of the men, some were godly and some were anything but, some were famous and some were essentially unknown. The point is that God can and does use anyone to fulfill His purposes, and His promises are sure. For us, there remains the question of whether we will be willing participants in God’s plan, or whether we will merely be pawns. There is a big difference! God never creates anyone as disposable, but whether we enjoy the benefits of His plan depends on our faith and obedience. How much better to rejoice in being God’s instrument now, and spend eternity with Him in heaven!

This of course applies to me as much as to anyone else. It is always a joy to recognize when God has used me, but I often don’t realize it at the time. As this verse indicates, God’s plan spans all generations, so we cannot know everything from our current viewpoint. I need to focus not only on my own faithfulness, but also in helping others understand how their faithfulness likewise fits into God’s plan. So many people feel they are too insignificant to be used by God, too unreliable, but the Bible says otherwise. God has great things in store for this church and this city, and I need to help people participate expectantly in what He is doing now. We can’t jump ahead in time – time passes quickly enough – so we need to recognize that the current moment is just as much in God’s plan as the future one we imagine.

Father, thank You for this reminder. At the moment, I’d like to jump ahead to the 26th, with all the busyness behind me! Help me take each day, each moment as it comes, not only doing faithfully what You have for me to do, but resting, relaxing, and rejoicing in You in the process. Thank You for the experience yesterday, when Cathy not answering her cell phone made all sorts of scenarios run through my mind. Thank You that even there, I was aware that Your grace would be sufficient no matter what the situation was. Help me remember that Your grace is sufficient also for the much more minor crises that confront me all the time. May I both project and enjoy the joy of Your salvation in this season, for Your glory. Thank You. Praise God!

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