November 12, 2011

Posted on November 13, 2011 by jgarrott

Psalm 37:3-4 Trust in the LORD and do good;
dwell in the land and enjoy safe pasture.
Delight yourself in the LORD
and he will give you the desires of your heart.

This famous passage expresses an important truth, but it seems so much like an aphorism (proverb) that the Japanese translation throws in a bit of unnecessarily archaic language. The problem with that is that we tend to learn aphorisms but not practice them, and that is unfortunate. Simply saying, “Trust in the Lord and do good,” covers most of life! We have trouble with both halves of that. We struggle to trust, despite the mountain of evidence that God is totally trustworthy, and as far as doing good goes, our sins of omission and commission would fill several books! However, we have the Bible to give us an understanding of what is good, and the Holy Spirit to guide us in specifics, so if that is our heart, then God makes it possible. The next part is very interesting, as the Japanese expresses it: “Dwell in the land and develop/maintain integrity.” Integrity doesn’t happen overnight. It starts with a decision, a commitment, but it is realized in practice. Integrity is always tested. With this as a foundation, David says the part that is quoted most: “Delight yourself in the Lord, and He will give you the desires of your heart.” People want God to be like Santa Claus, answering their every whim, so they quote this verse without ever considering what it is to make the Lord your joy, your delight. If God is our joy, then we will be trusting Him and doing good, developing and maintaining integrity as we seek to be obedient to Him. When we do that, our desires will line up with His, and fulfilling those desires will be the most natural thing ever.

This is something I’ve known intellectually for a long time, but working it out in my daily life has been a long and bumpy road. I guess I’m “developing integrity!” As a pastor, I seek to nurture this in the believers, but I need to extend to them the grace and patience that have been shown to me. I had some good examples, but I have had few mentors, so I need to learn how to mentor others. “Admonish” is the part of Colossians 3:16 that gives me the most trouble. I don’t feel I’m good at correcting people properly, so I draw back from it. I need to trust God to do it right through me, and love God and love people enough to take the risk of a bad reaction when I express God’s truth to them. The desire of my heart is indeed that the Name of Christ be hallowed, that His kingdom come as His will is done, and I know that I can have great assurance as I ask for that.

Father, thank You for Your amazing grace in not leaving me as I am, but continually drawing me toward You, transforming me into the likeness of Your Son. Help me cooperate fully with that, without a trace of pride but with deep gratitude and joy, so that You may delight in me as I delight in You. Thank You. Hallelujah!

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November 11, 2011

Posted on November 11, 2011 by jgarrott

PS 36:7-8 How priceless is your unfailing love!
Both high and low among men
find refuge in the shadow of your wings.
They feast on the abundance of your house;
you give them drink from your river of delights.

The only reason for people not to value God’s love is that they don’t understand it. David experienced it to a degree that allowed him to value it above physical life itself, and that is indeed the correct valuation. Without an understanding of God’s love, verse 8 might seem almost hedonistic. However David had experienced what James put into words much later: “Every good and perfect gift is from above, coming down from the Father of the heavenly lights, who does not change like shifting shadows.” (James 1:17) The devil tries to portray God as some cruel taskmaster, just waiting to whack us for some infraction, when the opposite is true. Our sins deserve far worse than we ever experience, because God is merciful and kind. He is also righteous and just, which is why Jesus had to come to take the penalty for our sins, because they could not be ignored. However, God delights to bless us. (Luke 12:32) The pleasures of sin are real but they are momentary, and the consequences are eternal. The pleasures of communion with God are far deeper, and they are eternal. Our coming to God should be based on how worthy He is to be worshiped, rather than just on what we can get out of it, but there’s no question that the benefits are outstanding!

I have certainly tasted God’s “river of delights,” but that doesn’t mean I’m immune to temptation. I need to stay alert at all times, not allowing the devil to use my flesh to trick me. As a pastor, I need to encourage the believers to do likewise. I am to inform them of the sort of tricks the devil uses, (2 Corinthians 2:11) but the focus of my teaching must be God and not the devil. I am to counter lies and misconceptions with the truth of God, allowing the sword of the Spirit to cut through the tangled mess that builds up in people’s minds. (2 Corinthians 10:4-6) I need to impart to the believers an expectation of good from God, an anticipation of blessing that will carry them through the junk we all have to wade through because of living in a fallen world.

Father, thank You for this Word this morning. Help me impart it to others indeed. So few people really seem to anticipate good from You with pure motives. Either there’s a sense of entitlement that doesn’t understand blessing as grace, or there’s a feeling that since they aren’t worthy, You won’t bless them. Help me cut through both misconceptions with Your truth. I pray particularly for the young woman who is so devastated by having her plans dashed. She’s not yet a full believer, and can’t really see that Your plans are to prosper her and not harm her. (Jeremiah 29:11) Help her cry out to You in her current emotional pit, so that she may discover Your love that is far better than anything she could have planned. Thank You. Praise God!

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November 10, 2011

Posted on November 11, 2011 by jgarrott

Psalm 29:11 The LORD gives strength to his people;
the LORD blesses his people with peace.

There are times when having the Japanese to read is a big advantage, and this is one of them. Japanese distinguishes between inner peace and outward peace, and here it says inner peace. Lack of war is generally desirable, but there is such a thing as a just war, just as there is such a thing as inner peace in the middle of tumultuous circumstances. David has just mentioned several natural phenomena, “acts of God,” that show how weak human beings are in the overall scheme of things. That sort of thing gets a lot of people pretty stirred up! However, people who really know God praise Him for His power (verse 10) and have inner peace even in the middle of that. They know He’s going to give them strength to get through, whatever happens. This is a massive blessing and a powerful witness to those who don’t know God. However, many people who should know God, or who know Him largely by hearsay, don’t appropriate the power and peace He provides. We let ourselves get stirred up by circumstances, and inner peace goes out the window. That’s no failure on God’s part, it’s our failure to trust Him, to “Be still, and know that [He is] God.” (Psalm 46:10)

This is a very timely reminder for me, with my schedule piling up like a log jam. The devil would like to rob me of my peace, but I need to stand firm against him, clad in God’s armor. That armor of course includes “the readiness of the Gospel of peace” and “faith.” (Ephesians 6:10-18) He will provide the time, strength, and wisdom to do everything He calls on me to do, so I have no reason to be anxious about anything. That’s not always easy to remember! A packed schedule means I have lots of opportunities to let Him work through me for His glory, so I need to rest, relax, and rejoice!

Father, thank You for all You have enabled me to do already this week, and for the schedule that lies ahead of me as well. Thank You for waking me this morning so that I don’t have to feel rushed about this devotional time, or about preparing the sermon notes for Sunday. Help me approach each thing on my schedule with the calm assurance that You will give me the strength, wisdom, and presence of mind to get it done properly. Show me when, where, and how to get the rest I need as well. May I be Your instrument in every detail, so that Your will may be done on Your schedule for Your glory. Thank You. Praise God!

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November 9, 2011

Posted on November 11, 2011 by jgarrott

Psalm 21:7 For the king trusts in the LORD;
through the unfailing love of the Most High
he will not be shaken.

This Psalm says it is “of David,” but it gives the impression that it was written about him, rather than being written by him. However, writers through the ages have sometimes referred to themselves in the third person, so that doesn’t necessarily mean anything. In any case, this Psalm is certainly descriptive of David’s attitude. He did indeed trust the Lord, and it was that trust that enabled him to receive victory after victory. As he said so eloquently in Psalm 18, he knew that it was God who enabled him to do everything he did, and the Japanese for this verse specifies that it was because of God’s grace. We have such a shallow understanding of God’s grace! We think we have to earn His blessings, and in our pride we want to be able to say that we have earned them, but that totally misunderstands His grace. All He asks of us is faith, expressed in trust and obedience. When that is our attitude, we will indeed not be shaken, regardless of what is shaking around us.

I’ve had all sorts of training in this, and that training continues, essentially daily. It is very clear that the more I trust, the less I’m shaken. Considering that shaking isn’t much fun, trust is highly recommended! As a pastor, I need to lead the believers into that same sort of trust. From my own experience I know that trust doesn’t come easily for those who have been burned by disappointments, so I am to be patient and gentle, but firm and insistent. Someone who has never been disappointed might seem to have great faith, but that faith is very shallow. It is those who have discovered God’s faithfulness in the middle of massive disappointments who have deep faith. God delights to give His children good things, but He knows better than we do what is good and what isn’t. Also, He knows how damaging it is to us when we treat Him like a vending machine. I need to communicate that to the believers so that their faith may rest on who God is, His character and not just what they see as His blessings.

Father thank You for the training in trust You gave me yesterday. Thank You for today’s lesson, whatever it will be. Help me receive each lesson with gratitude, and not with resentment. As a teacher, I know well the difference between eager students and reluctant ones, and that it has little to do with the ability they start with. However weak and foolish I may be now, help me rejoice that You are training and stretching me to be all that You intend me to be, for the blessing of many and for Your glory. Thank You. Praise God!

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November 8, 2011

Posted on November 8, 2011 by jgarrott

Psalm 20:7-8 Some trust in chariots and some in horses,
but we trust in the name of the LORD our God.
They are brought to their knees and fall,
but we rise up and stand firm.

People trust in, or boast of, all sorts of things. Physical things have varying degrees of reliability, but the only thing that is absolutely reliable is God. We see this all the time, when we or those around us rely on things and they fail. When that happens, whoever was relying on that thing is indeed brought to their knees, figuratively speaking. The desirable thing would be that whenever anyone is brought to their knees, they would use that opportunity to pray! We tend to rely on all sorts of things in our daily lives, from electricity to water supply to the physical structure of our houses to a myriad of minor things. I think the reason the Lord allows those things to fail sometimes is to teach us to rely on Him. Something like the massive earthquake and tsunami, and consequent nuclear disaster, in March of this year is an extreme example of that. Human pride and complacency never bring about a good result in the end. We need to realize that temporal, of time, means temporary, and everything we have that’s physical, and even physical life itself, is ultimately unreliable. However, God is eternal, and the faith, hope, and love that He provides, along with a host of other spiritual blessings, will last forever.

I’ve just had a minor reminder of that with a computer parts order that came in yesterday. One item wasn’t what I really needed, due to my failing to read the catalog page carefully, and the other item, for reasons unknown, simply didn’t work. Though those things, if as desired and working properly, would indeed improve the usefulness of my computer, there was a definite element of “bragging rights” to my wanting them in the first place. This is a good, and relatively harmless, lesson for me. Likewise, I am not to be cast down when other things don’t go as I would like. My reliance must be on God and nothing less, not allowing the failures of the things and systems and people of this world to drag me down. If I will do that, I will indeed stand straight when others are falling, and I will be able to lead others into salvation by grace through faith as well.

Father, thank You for this reminder, both the circumstances and the Word this morning. Help me seek You first and foremost and allow You to show me what tools and equipment I need. Help me make good use of those tools, and especially to appropriate the armor You provide, so that I may be consistently victorious against the devil and his schemes, walking in purity and setting many captives free, for their salvation and Your glory. Thank You. Praise God!

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November 7, 2011

Posted on November 7, 2011 by jgarrott

Psalm 18:32 It is God who arms me with strength
and makes my way perfect.

This whole psalm is a magnificent example of both why David was a man after God’s heart and why he was so successful: he gave God the credit for his every success. From his youth all the way to when in his old age he was collecting resources for Solomon to be able to build the temple, David was amazed at what God accomplished through him. He was a confident, assured leader, most of the time, but his confidence was in God and not in himself. He knew that he could do some pretty awesome things, but he didn’t give himself credit for them. Rather, he gave all the glory to God. Sadly, such an attitude is all too rare, even in the Church. When believers, not to mention leaders, can come to this position in truth, there is no limit to what God can do through them.

I can’t say that I’ve walked in this attitude very consistently. I have tended rather to the opposite side of looking at the abilities God has given me and expecting to be able to do things myself. There’s a fine line between being self assured and being God assured, and I haven’t stayed on the right side of that. That’s not to say I’m not to exercise the abilities I know God has given me, but it is to say that I must recognize and acknowledge that those abilities are from Him and not from me, and give Him the glory. I’m not to be surprised when God accomplishes something through me, but I am certainly to be grateful. As a pastor, I need to foster in the believers the expectation that God will use them. This is a difficult thing in Japan, where people are taught not to put themselves forward, but rather be self deprecating. However, nothing is impossible for God! I have demonstrated time and time again that I can’t change people in my own wisdom and strength, but I need to be assured that God can do it, and that He can even use me in the process. I need to seek Him at every turn, not doing things out of habit or in presumption, but allowing Him to speak and act through me, so that the results may be His magnificence and not my junk.

Father, thank You for this reminder. Thank You for all You are doing in and among us in these days. Thank You for the immediate goals You’ve shown Cathy and me, in terms of church culture. Thank You for Your clear presence and guidance through the day yesterday. I pray that what You spoke through me would continue to resonate in the hearts and minds of all who heard, so that together we may be transformed into the image of Your Son, Christ Jesus our Lord, for Your glory. Thank You. Hallelujah!

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November 6, 2011

Posted on November 7, 2011 by jgarrott

Psalm 5:8 Lead me, O LORD, in your righteousness
because of my enemies–
make straight your way before me.

The Japanese is a bit more graphic than the English here: “those who lie in wait for me” vs. “my enemies.” The fact of the matter is, we do have enemies who lie in wait for our souls, even if we aren’t directly aware of them. The devil and his demons watch for us to let our guard down, and then they are quick to pounce. David had enemies he could call by name, which made it a bit easier to understand that he was in constant need of God’s guidance and protection. It is interesting to note that he prayed, “Lead me in Your righteousness.” In the OT particularly, righteousness is virtually synonymous with faithfulness, especially in reference to God. God is faithful because He is righteous, and visa versa. That helps us understand the famous, and pivotal, statement in Genesis 15:6, that “Abram believed the LORD, and he credited it to him as righteousness.” Human beings are not very faithful. Apart from God’s grace, we can’t be depended on to do the right thing. However, Abram believed, trusted, God, and God said that was enough. This whole issue is why God takes faithfulness so seriously, from faithfulness to Him, having no other gods, to faithfulness to our spouse. It’s no accident that in the whole book of Hosea, as in many other places, the Bible equates idolatry with marital infidelity. David famously blew it on this issue in one direction, and his son Solomon blew it in the other direction. There are indeed those who lie in wait for us, and we need to be consistent in seeking God’s way so that we may not move out from under His protection.

I have experienced God’s protection more times than I could count, and, I’m sure, more times than I’m aware of. I am not to be anxious, but neither am I to take that guidance and protection lightly. Likewise, as I minister to those under my care, I am to encourage them to recognize their need for guidance and protection, and then walk in what God so graciously provides. We need to start each day with this prayer, whether or not we use precisely these words, so that all the plans of the devil may be foiled and all of God’s plans for us fulfilled, for His glory.

Father, thank You for what You are continuing to do among us. Thank You that You know who needs to be here and who doesn’t. I pray that I would be faithful first of all, and that we all would be faithful to You, walking in obedient trust, so that Your gracious plans for us may be fulfilled indeed, for Your glory. Thank You. Praise God!

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November 5, 2011

Posted on November 7, 2011 by jgarrott

Job 42:5-6 My ears had heard of you
but now my eyes have seen you.
Therefore I despise myself
and repent in dust and ashes.”

There is no substitute for a personal experience of God. That said, different people experience God differently. Conversions don’t have to be dramatic on the order of Saul on the road to Damascus, but being born again isn’t a “maybe I have, maybe I haven’t” sort of thing. Even so, virtually every believer has doubted their own salvation at some point. I feel like I’m somewhat talking in circles here! However, the original point is still valid. If we have never had a personal experience of God, then our faith is merely hearsay, taking someone else’s word for things. Our faith has to start there, because we have to be taught that God is and that He loves us before we will open up to Him, but we have to take that step and welcome Him in as Lord. As has been said, a man with an experience is never at the mercy of a man with a theory. At the same time, experiencing God isn’t just for the moment of conversion. The more we grow spiritually, the easier it is to recognize Him in every facet of life. Nothing clears the mind and heart like an intimate encounter with God!

I cherish my morning times of devotion, and as a pastor I covet such times for each of the believers. I cannot force anyone into an encounter with God, but I can participate in worship that makes it much more likely. I need to analyze everything we do here, with the help of the Holy Spirit, seeking to foster ever-deepening encounters with God for everyone who enters our meetings. I tend to get distracted by mechanical things like recording and video, when what is important is the presence of the Holy Spirit. I need to be more active in personal spiritual preparation for each service, not descending into “business as usual.” If the believers are lukewarm and unfocused, they need fresh encounters with God!

Father, thank You for Your faithfulness in spite of my weaknesses. I pray that I would be fully yielded and responsive to You so that the flock may be led into growing commitment to and intimacy with You. Give me wisdom in dealing with those who see everything in black and white, as well as those who see everything in shades of gray, or even pastels. Help me feed the flock the nourishment they need, and help them receive it with joy to take it in and grow, for their blessing and Your glory. Thank You. Praise God!

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November 4, 2011

Posted on November 5, 2011 by jgarrott

Job 1:21 “Naked I came from my mother’s womb,
and naked I will depart.
The LORD gave and the LORD has taken away;
may the name of the LORD be praised.”

This is a well known verse, but obviously not well enough known, and certainly not well enough understood. The principle here has come out again and again in reading about God’s gifts, but we have the hardest time accepting emotionally the reality that absolutely everything comes from God. That is the biggest sticking point for the vast majority of atheists. They don’t want to admit that God exists, particularly as a Creator who is intimately interested in His creation, because that makes them accountable to Him. That is what they are rebelling against, not some logical construct. The more vocal they are, the more obvious it is. I saw a comment just recently that if atheists honestly believed God didn’t exist, then there would be no reason for them to make a fuss, because it wouldn’t matter. I forget who it was, perhaps C. S. Lewis, that pointed out that if God doesn’t exist, we lose nothing of value by believing He does; but that if He does exist, we lose everything by failing to believe it. It’s the whole issue of accountability that trips people up. The idea that at the end of our physical lives we are going to have to answer for every word, every action, is justly terrifying to any thinking person. That’s why it is such good news that God understood our condition and sent His own Son to take the penalty for our sin and rebellion, so that those who trust in Him are declared as innocent as He is when they are judged. To come back to this verse, there is tremendous release in acknowledging God’s sovereignty all the way down to the core of our being. We are able to rest, relax, and rejoice in Him regardless of our circumstances.

As well as I know this in theory, I still have occasional hiccups in practice! The only thing worth clinging to is Jesus, because when we are centered on Him, He will give us the desires of our heart. (Psalm 37:4) Particularly at this time of year the stresses can be quite high because of all the demands on my time, and this year is certainly no exception. I’ve got to walk in active, preemptive trust, thanking God before I see how things work out. Today is a workshop in that, since I have a full schedule, but for unknown reasons am feeling physically drained before the day starts. I need to delight in the reality that His grace is all I need, just as Paul learned to do. (2 Corinthians 12:9-10)

Father, thank You for this reminder this morning. Thank You that You are indeed faithful in every detail, and that I have no reason to be anxious about anything. I do ask Your anointing for my teaching this morning, and I ask You to go ahead of me as I go this afternoon to make the second try at submitting the final paperwork for our church registration. Thank You that Your plans for today and each day are good. Help me rest, relax, and rejoice in You so that I may follow those plans, for the blessing of many and for Your glory. Thank You. Hallelujah!

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November 3, 2011

Posted on November 5, 2011 by jgarrott

Nehemiah 9:20-21 You gave your good Spirit to instruct them. You did not withhold your manna from their mouths, and you gave them water for their thirst. For forty years you sustained them in the desert; they lacked nothing, their clothes did not wear out nor did their feet become swollen.

The point is that God provided for every one of the Israelites’ needs, spiritual and material and physical. It’s interesting that we have such trouble really trusting the totality of God’s care and provision for us. We get to some new challenge and forget that God is more than able to meet that as well. A big part of that comes from our failure to acknowledge that everything we currently have is a gift from God. By thinking we have achieved whatever we have, we also think we have to achieve whatever else it is that we need. That leaves us unable to trust God as our Provider, and leads to all sorts of anxiety and stress. That doesn’t mean that we are to be passive all the time, waiting for God to drop things into our laps. On the contrary, part of God’s provision is in giving us strength and ability, and failure to make good use of those is irresponsible before God. However, we must not forget that however anything comes to us, “Every good and perfect gift is from above, coming down from the Father of the heavenly lights.”

I think I have done fairly well in this area personally, but that hasn’t kept me from being anxious at times. God has allowed many lean seasons in my life to teach me better how to keep my trust in Him. He knows that I’m just as liable as the next guy to fail to seek Him if I get too comfortable materially! That too is His grace, and the more I think about it, the more overwhelming that grace seems to me. I am charged with teaching others about Him and His kingdom, leading them into His truth. To do that effectively, it’s got to come from within me, and not just be some abstract theory I heard from someone. It’s interesting even to me how many personal examples I can give even in teaching nurses and therapists. God has given me a wide variety of experiences, both directly and through those close to me, so that I can let my students know that what I’m teaching them isn’t just abstract theory, but practical reality. I need to be equally down-to-earth in teaching spiritual truths.

Father, thank You for this reminder. Thank You also for the current financially lean season, and for Your timely provision for every need, to the point of allowing us to be generous. Keep us growing in trust and obedience, not only so that we won’t miss any of Your provision, but especially so that those who are watching us may learn to trust and obey You as well, for Your glory. Thank You. Praise God!

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