God’s Guidance; June 25, 2024

Posted on June 26, 2024 by jgarrott

Psalm 25:8-9 Good and upright is the Lord;
    therefore he instructs sinners in his ways.
 He guides the humble in what is right
    and teaches them his way.

I got the immediate impression that this was an acrostic poem, with each verse starting with a succeeding letter of the Hebrew alphabet, and when I checked, I was right. That doesn’t mean it isn’t inspired, but rather that David was choosing to exercise his gifting focusing on God. These two verses actually express important truth. The first is that God teaches sinners, and not just “good” people. We tend to expect God to not have anything to do with sinners, but if that were the case, He would have abandoned mankind a long time ago! The second point is that God teaches sinners precisely because He is good and righteous. He doesn’t avoid us because we are not good and righteous, He wants us to become like Him, so He teaches us how to do that. However, for us to receive that instruction we have to be humble, and that is the third major truth here. Some translations render that as “poor,” but I think “humble” fits better. It is very much in line with the Sermon on the Mount, where Jesus said, “Blessed are the poor in spirit, for theirs is the kingdom of heaven.” If we think we are self-sufficient, that we don’t need God, then we aren’t going to listen to Him. That’s the very definition of foolishness! As both Psalm 111:10 and Proverbs 9:10 proclaim, “The fear of the Lord is the beginning of wisdom.” One definition of “the fear of the Lord” is simply knowing that we are nothing without Him. It is when we grasp the reality that even the atoms that comprise us wouldn’t stay together without His will that we get serious about listening to Him, desiring that He show us the way we should go. That doesn’t violate free will, because we are actually capable of ignoring God and even actively rebelling against Him, but doing so guarantees an eternity cut off from Him, and that is more horrible than words can express.

I am frequently reminded that I have walked in pride more than I like to remember. That reminding is part of God’s mercy toward me! I have coasted on the gifts God has given me, as though I had somehow generated them myself, and that has been foolish indeed. I need to rejoice in my dependence on God, and that He is utterly dependable. I am to rejoice in the privilege of teaching others about God, so that they too may open their hearts to Him to walk in fellowship with Him. I am never to think that I have all the answers, but I am to remember that He indeed has all the answers, whether or not I need to know them! I very much like to know stuff, and to be the “answer man,” but I’ve got to remember my extreme limitations and be at peace with that, learning all that God wants to teach me but never trying to be “the authority” on my own. That takes conscious choice on my part, but God can enable me to do it.

Father, thank You for this reminder. Help me let Your Spirit be my “input filter,” so that my mind and heart may be filled with You to the point of pushing out everything that doesn’t agree with You, so that I may be an accurate representation of Your character to those around me, drawing them to You for their salvation and Your glory. Thank You. Praise God!

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Language; June 24, 2024

Posted on June 25, 2024 by jgarrott

Psalm 9:13 Lord, see how my enemies persecute me!
    Have mercy and lift me up from the gates of death.

Nuances of translation are interesting. The NIV and the Japanese both speak of “mercy” here, but the ESV, which is the English in the bilingual Bible I got most recently, says “gracious.” However, in the rest of the verse, the ESV agrees more closely with the Japanese than the NIV does, saying “See my affliction from those who hate me.” I think this shows the value of reading multiple translations. Even those who are proficient in Hebrew, Greek, and Aramaic probably don’t have a perfect grasp of the nuances at the time a given passage was written. After all, many English words have changed meaning greatly over the years. For example, when St. James Cathedral in London was first built, the king, being given a tour, said it was “awful!” Today, we would say, “awesome.” The point to remember is that the Bible is very rich and deep, and we need the guidance of the Author when we read it. Language itself is a fascinating study, but most of the time we take it for granted. That’s one of the many attractions of heaven. Every Near Death Experience I’ve heard or read, including from my wife, says that communication there is perfect, with no question of language. I find myself curious about the many things that are easier to say in one language than another, but the answer to that question can wait. For right now, we need to let the Holy Spirit guide us into the meaning we need to receive.

Growing up bilingual with two extremely different languages, English and Japanese, this issue has always interested me. One of my motives for changing from a Chemistry major to an English major in college was my sharp awareness of the importance of language in interpersonal communication. That awareness was inescapable for a Japan MK in East Tennessee! I found I communicated very well with some MKs from Argentina, simply because we were all aware of the limitations of English! As I have written before, I am greatly en­riched by doing my daily devotions in two languages. The bilingual Bible I used for many years was NIV and Shinkaiyaku, but that is now much the worse for wear (Ephesians completely falls out) so a few months ago I bought a new Bible. Not only is the English ESV, the Shinkaiyaku translation was updated a couple of years ago (it’s now in the 3rd edition) so various places in that aren’t what I’m used to either. Occasionally that doesn’t sit well, with preference for what I’m more used to, but often it stimulates my thinking, and that’s good. My Scripture memory is quite an amalgam, particularly in English, where it goes from KJV to The Message! As I’ve already said, I need to let the Holy Spirit speak it into my spirit, so that His meaning may change me as I need it, transforming me into the likeness of Christ for the glory of the Father.

Father, thank You indeed for the linguistic abilities You’ve given me, and for how they enrich me. May I use them to bless others, expressing Your love and grace to draw them to You, for their salvation and Your glory. Thank You. Hallelujah!

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Physical Issues; June 23, 2024

Posted on June 24, 2024 by jgarrott

Psalm 6:2 Have mercy on me, Lord, for I am faint;
    heal me, Lord, for my bones are in agony.

I think the older a person gets, the closer to home this verse be­comes! Different translations render this as “My bones are troubled” or, “My bones are fearful,” but advancing age certainly seems to bring structural issues to a majority of people. As someone has said, you get pains in places you didn’t know you had places! That actually is a blessing, because it frees you from the youthful illusion of invincibility. Even the healthiest, strongest person is actually totally dependent on their Creator, but they aren’t likely to realize it until they encounter health issues of one sort or another. Paul referred to our physical bodies as tents, and said that “While we are in this tent, we groan and are burdened.” (2 Corinthians 5:4) Most people over 50 can identify with that! However, the more we focus on our Lord, who is the true Source of everything we need, the more peace and joy we have regardless of our circumstances. That’s why Jesus famously told us to “Seek first the kingdom of God and His righteousness.” (Matthew 6:33) The quicker we learn that we ourselves aren’t the be-all and end-all of everything, the better off we are.

I have been blessed with good health for most of my life, but my wife has had enough medical issues that I’ve seen medical professionals be taken aback by the list. Back surgeries and Parkinson’s Disease, a number of relatively minor issues, and to top it off (pun intended) brain surgery. At this point, I thought of her immediately when I read this verse, because she can have pain in areas that make her hesitant to do things necessary for her daily life. I used to have sympathy but not empathy, but recently I’ve been having issues with my right hip and the like. Doing some electrical work for a friend recently, I was reminded that the last time I did that I was in my 50s! However, I am grateful for the mobility I have, and seek to be faithful in maintaining the physical equipment with which I have been supplied. It is a comfort to know that we won’t be stuck in these bodies forever!

Father, thank You for Your grace, and for Your perfect plan. Thank You for the pains that remind us to be intentional in our dependence on You. Help us make the use that You intend of all that You supply, physically and financially and otherwise, so that Your purposes may be accomplished on Your schedule for Your glory. Thank You. Praise God!

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Righteousness; June 22, 2024

Posted on June 23, 2024 by jgarrott

Psalm 5:8 Lead me, Lord, in your righteousness
    because of my enemies—
    make your way straight before me.

I have written repeatedly on verse 3, in reference to morning devotions, but this verse is even more famous, having been beautifully set to music. The Japanese is slightly more graphic than the English, expanding “enemies” to “people who lie in wait for me.” This is certainly a verse Donald Trump should quote at this point! The thing is, we all have enemies, those who lie in wait to trip us up, but they aren’t necessarily visible. The devil and his demons desire nothing but evil for us, and there are plenty of them. C. S. Lewis’ famous book, The Screwtape Letters, though fictional, is very instructional at this point. We aren’t to take the interaction between Screwtape, a demon slightly up in the bureaucracy, and his underling Wormwood literally, but Lewis had real insight into some of the tricks that are used to make even believers ineffective. We need to be on our guard, as Peter said, (1 Peter 5:8) but not in fear, remembering that the Holy Spirit in us is greater than the devil and his forces. (1 John 4:4) We do, however, need to remember that the moment we depend on ourselves and our own abilities we lay ourselves open to all sorts of attacks. As Isaiah noted, “All our righteous acts are like filthy rags.” (Isaiah 64:6) We are “right” only to the degree we agree with and conform to God and His standards. That’s why we need to pray this verse!

I have done more than my share of thinking I was right, simply because I was me. God’s the only one who is that way! Like everyone, I think, I like to justify myself, my decisions and my actions, but as I just said, God is the standard, not me. I am to be discerning, toward myself and toward others, but not judgmental. I am to repent and call others to repentance, but not condemn, because Christ died for the ungodly. (Romans 5:6) I am to seek God’s guidance at every turn, just as in this verse, so that I may progress as He intends. I feel sure that when I look back on my life from heaven, it will look much straighter than it felt at the time!

Father, thank You for Your guidance, and for Your righteousness. (2 Corinthians 5:21) My I indeed walk in all You have made me to be in Christ Jesus my Lord, so that I may be fully available and useful to You for however You desire to use me, for Your glory. Thank You. Praise God!

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Knowing God; June 21, 2024

Posted on June 22, 2024 by jgarrott

Psalm 4:8 In peace I will lie down and sleep,
    for you alone, Lord,
    make me dwell in safety.

Even in this short Psalm there were several verses that spoke to me, but I’ll limit myself to this one for the moment. The benefits of knowing, of having a personal relationship with, your Creator are past counting. David had that, and the world is far richer for his having expressed it in poetic form. Not everyone is gifted as a poet, but we all have the potential of knowing God as David did, and even better, because we know about His Son Jesus, and can be filled with His Spirit. That doesn’t mean that everything is instantly easy; Jesus was very clear on that point. (John 16:33) However, it does mean that we have access to the things the human soul longs for, but often misunderstands. We try to satisfy ourselves with wealth and pleasure and personal power, but as the verse ahead of this says, what God offers is even better! As Jesus said, it is when we get our priorities straight that we are lined up to receive the abundance God desires to pour out on us. (Matthew 6:33) Getting back to this verse, I have read countless articles on the dangers of sleep deprivation, and how modern society fights to keep us from getting the sleep we need. When our hearts are tuned to God, we turn away from our electronic devices and allow Him to give us the rest we need. Throughout human history God has spoken to people through dreams, and we are far more likely to hear from Him that way if our thoughts are on Him even before we go to bed. Anxiety is a major enemy of good sleep, and the ultimate answer to that is trusting God. Whatever we think we want, the source of every good thing is God, (James 1:17) so the smartest thing is to seek Him first. As a pop song of many years ago said, “To know, know, know him is to love, love, love him, and I do.” As a song about romance that is merely cute, but when the Him in question is God, it is true indeed.

Despite my protestations of love for Jesus when I was five, I have come to know and love Him, His Father and His Spirit, far more and far better in the 70 years since. That’s not to say I get everything right even now. I am in total agreement with what Paul said about perfection! (Philippians 3:12-14) However, when I get into a fix, I at least know where the problem lies! As C. S. Lewis wrote in The Last Battle, I need to keep going “further in, further up.” There’s always more, and it’s very good indeed! As a pastor, I seek to help others understand that this is how things are, so that they too may seek God and find Him, when they seek Him with all their heart. (Jeremiah 29:13) It is such a joy, for me and for them, when someone does that! My life is to be a demonstration of the joys of walking with God, and that is a high privilege indeed.

Father, thank You for Your incredible grace, that You have made it possible for us to know You personally, cleansed by faith in Your Son and filled with Your Spirit. May I continue to grow as Your child, drawing more and more people with me, so that Your house may be full, (Luke 14:23) for Your pleasure and glory. Thank You. Hallelujah!

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Remembering God’s Mercy; June 20, 2024

Posted on June 21, 2024 by jgarrott

Nehemiah 9:31 But in your great mercy you did not put an end to them or abandon them, for you are a gracious and merciful God.

Nehemiah has given quite a litany of the sins of Israel, without going into very many details. In context, the people who had returned to the land from Babylon were in a tight situation, oppressed by gov­ernment regulations and lower-level flunkies. (Now that sounds fami­liar!) He isn’t claiming total innocence on the part of the returnees, but he is in essence reminding God of how merciful He had been in the past, and is asking for more mercy in the moment. It’s not like God would forget! However, the people with whom Nehemiah was working needed to remember the character of God in order to have their faith strengthened. Nehemiah himself was obviously very familiar with the Torah, and he wanted the people to remember it as well. We get into all sorts of messes, but if we realign our hearts and repent, God is always here. It was that assurance that gave Nehemiah the strength he needed, and it will do the same for us.

I can certainly relate! I’m in the process of writing my autobiography, for the express purpose of recounting God’s grace toward me so that others may be encouraged and He be glorified. I’m at the point that, whereas I do get stressed by situations and demands on me, anxiety about the future is pretty well gone. I have experienced God’s faithfulness, His gracious mercy, to a point that it is increasingly easy to rest, relax, and rejoice in Him, as He explicitly told me to do several years ago. My desire at this point is that those around me may have that same assurance, so that in gratitude we may be fully obedient to Him, for His will to be done in and through us for His glory.

Father, thank You for this reminder. Thank You for how You’ve been drawing me back into the writing project, and for the people who have approached me for mentoring. May I indeed be faithful and obedient to You, in Your strength because I have demonstrated countless times I can’t do it on my own. May all of Your plans and purposes for me be fulfilled, on Your schedule for Your glory. Thank You. Hallelujah!

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Houses of Worship; June 19, 2024

Posted on June 20, 2024 by jgarrott

1 Kings 8:41-42 “As for the foreigner who does not belong to your people Israel but has come from a distant land because of your name—for they will hear of your great name and your mighty hand and your outstretched arm—when they come and pray toward this temple,”

This is just a sentence fragment, but it contains two elements that strike me. The first is favorable, the second, not. I like it that Solomon opens the door to Gentiles here. After all, the design of the temple specifically included “the Court of the Gentiles,” which was the area overrun by merchants in the 2nd temple of Jesus’ day. What doesn’t turn me on is the focus on physical location. For Solomon that was an advantage, because it helped consolidate his political power. However, that was wiped out in the early Church after Pentecost, because believers gathered, but they didn’t have dedicated buildings for their gatherings. After Constantine Christianity became the state religion, and focus again came on dedicated houses of worship. It’s not that such houses are bad as such, but rather that when we place our focus on the physical location and structure, we tend to forget that God is everywhere, and we are to walk humbly before Him whatever our environment. We forget that in both Hebrew and Greek, the word translated “church” actually means “gathering,” or “congregation” (which also means gathering, but we don’t think about that). Special places can be very nice, certainly convenient, and even deeply meaningful, but if we let them take priority over the One whom we say we worship, then they become idols in themselves. Solomon had no idol to draw people to, so he used the temple instead!

This is an issue I have been aware of for much of my life. In the 40-year history of this church we have met in various locations, but for the past 25 years we have had a dedicated church building, that also includes our residence. I try to be specific when I am talking about the church building, but even I get lazy and just say “church” far too much of the time. I desire that every believer realize that they are “God’s temple,” (1 Corinthians 3:16), acting as good stewards of the building but not fixating on it. I also want each one to realize that their own body is the temple of the Holy Spirit, (1 Corinthians 6:19) and rejoice to carry His presence with them everywhere they go. I want us all to expand our awareness of God and realize that He “fills everything in every way,” (Ephesians 1:23) and so live lives of worship in every circumstance.

Father, thank You for this reminder. Help me not be legalistic about it, but rather share Your truth in grace and love, so that many will be set free from the deceptions of the enemy, for their blessing and Your glory. Thank You. Praise God!

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Presumption; June 18, 2024

Posted on June 19, 2024 by jgarrott

1 Kings 8:25 “Now Lord, God of Israel, keep for your servant David my father the promises you made to him when you said, ‘You shall never fail to have a man to sit before me on the throne of Israel, if only your sons are careful in all they do to walk before me as you have done.'”

The irony in this line of Solomon’s prayer is extreme, because he himself failed to stick to the path his father David had walked before the Lord. He wanted the promised blessings without fulfilling the specified conditions. We tend to be exactly the same way. There are several “Scripture promise books” circulating, and many people have been greatly encouraged by them, but if we lift promises out of context, then they give us false hope. It’s the little matter of accountability. To be honest, it can get tricky here, because God is incredibly gracious and merciful, and sometimes it seems downright unfair that someone who had been very far from God is restored to Him in a moment. That’s what the whole parable of The Prodigal Son is about. (Luke 15:11-32) However, the genuine key, the ultimate requirement, is repentance, and God alone is the judge of that. Are we sorry for our sin? Are we really discarding it to turn to God? Sometimes we ourselves aren’t sure. Sometimes we have to come to God and say, “Lord, I did it again!” In such cases, John’s words are a great comfort. “If our hearts condemn us, we know that God is greater than our hearts, and he knows everything.” (1 John 3:20) But again, the attitude that “God will excuse this” is deadly. We certainly don’t want to hear Him say, “I never knew you!” (Matthew 7:23) Solomon’s biggest problem was presumption, based on pride in the gifts God had graciously given him. The moment we forget that all the good stuff is by the grace of God alone, we are in deep trouble.

This is exceedingly close to home for me. I have been blessed beyond measure, much as Solomon was, and I too have forgotten at times that I didn’t earn any of it. IQ doesn’t equal genuine wisdom! Though I had some genuine encounters with God in my childhood, I was already a married father when the Lord, again very graciously, showed me the state of my heart, and the absolutely stupid pride I was wallowing in. That repentance was bitter! In the years since then I have been to seminary, become a pastor, and have now been a missionary for over 42 years, but I am still tempted to feel that since I can say all the right things, that means I’m doing them. God alone knows my heart attitude. I must never be presumptive, but always be humble before my Lord, allowing Him to show me when and how I need to repent, so that I may walk fully in step with His Spirit. (Galatians 5:25)

Father, thank You for this reminder. Thank You for Your incredible patience with me! Thank You for the plans You laid out for me before I was ever born. May I walk in them faithfully, fulfilling Your purposes for me on Your schedule for Your glory. Thank You. Hallelujah!

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David’s Example; June 17, 2024

Posted on June 18, 2024 by jgarrott

2 Samuel 24:14 David said to Gad, “I am in deep distress. Let us fall into the hands of the Lord, for his mercy is great; but do not let me fall into human hands.”

David had learned the character of God. Having known God from when he was a young boy tending sheep, he was convinced of God’s faithfulness and mercy. He had experienced moments of outstanding faith, such as when he challenged Goliath, and he had also experienced being hunted by Saul in the desert. That track record made him prefer God over any other option. It also generated in him the attitude  that he wasn’t going to offer to God something that cost him nothing, as is famously proclaimed in verse 24. He knew from experience that you can’t outgive God, as has been said a great deal by more modern evangelists. David is such a good example for us because he loved God enough to be greatly used by Him, in spite of David’s own character flaws. He is an example both of what can happen when we are fully submitted to God, and what can happen when we take our relationship with God for granted. We need to be fully aware of our own weaknesses, and even more aware of God’s omnipotence. We need to know that, as Jesus said, apart from Him we can do nothing, (John 15:5) and also that we can do everything that He asks of us, by His strength. (Philippians 4:13) As Jesus said, and as saints down through the centuries have learned by experience, in this world we will have trouble, (John 16:33) but the final outcome will be blessing for those who are committed and submitted to God, as the whole Bible proclaims.

I grew up reading and hearing of David’s example, and I also had examples much closer to home. My parents were totally committed to Christ, having been missionaries even before they married and staying faithful to the Lord and to each other in the decades following. My father was taken home at 64 and my mother at 72, but their reward was abundant indeed. I have also known many other faithful saints over the years, and nothing contradicts the conviction that David had about the character of God. I am to live my own life with the same dedication my parents had, knowing that God will use me to build up the Body of Christ for His glory.

Father, thank You for Your grace and mercy toward me. May I respond as You deserve, in full gratitude and obedience, so that I may be fully available to You for whatever You want to do with me, for Your glory. Thank You. Praise God!

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With All Our Heart; June 16, 2024

Posted on June 17, 2024 by jgarrott

Deuteronomy 4:29 But if from there you seek the Lord your God, you will find him if you look for him with all your heart and with all your soul.

I’m so familiar with Jeremiah 29:12-13 that I hadn’t realized that God had said exactly the same thing hundreds of years earlier through Moses. One of the many wonderful things about the Bible is how it is so self-confirming. Some people would say that invalidates it, but that’s hardly the case when so many different people were involved in writing it over such a long period of time. It also shows that God doesn’t change. (Malachi 3:6) That said, the point of what God is saying, both through Moses and Jeremiah, is that He knows we will mess up, and do so badly, but if we acknowledge that, grace and mercy are available. The thing is, the only people who are hopeless are those who maintain they need no grace and mercy. The degree of hubris and self-deception in that is staggering to me, but I have encountered such people. One thing that is stressed both here and in Jeremiah is the factor of “all your heart.” God isn’t impressed by hypocrisy. It is when we acknowledge that He is all our hope and our only hope that we really encounter Him. That He will indeed meet with us under such conditions is some of the best news in the world!

Just yesterday I had another response from someone who has taken exception to my blog, saying that my focus on God’s grace removes accountability. All I can say to him is that if he really wants to receive the just results of all that he has done, that’s his problem. I don’t take my sins lightly, but I realize that Jesus has already accepted and paid the penalty for them, which liberates me. That’s what the Gospel is all about. I am very aware that my father’s words, “Give all you know of yourself to all you know of Christ,” apply not just when initially committing to Jesus as Lord, but daily, as I learn more of myself and more of Christ. I know too well that my heart is prone to wander, and I need to be active and intentional in keeping it committed and submitted to my Lord.

Father, thank You for this reminder. Thank You also for the news that You took my wife’s younger brother home yesterday. He was very much ready to go, on several levels, but I pray particularly for his wife and children, and all the many people who loved him and will miss him. We have the assurance of reunion, but the temporal separation can be lonely. I pray that Your Spirit would indeed be poured out on all in these days, for Your glory. Thank You. Praise God!

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