Salvation; January 2, 2025

Posted on January 3, 2025 by jgarrott

John 3:14-15 “Just as Moses lifted up the snake in the wilderness, so the Son of Man must be lifted up, that everyone who believes may have eternal life in him.”

The very next verse is the most famous in the whole Bible, which causes a lot of people, I think, to overlook these two, I’ve heard them referenced a number of times in messages over the years, but I’m not sure I’ve preached on them myself. It struck me just now that this is an extremely simple description of eternal salvation. We tend to put all sorts of conditions on it, and I’m concerned that we exclude people from the Kingdom, in our minds at least, in ways that our Lord might not do so. The thing about the bronze snake that Moses lifted up on a pole was that the only requirement was that people look at it in faith. We aren’t to make light of repentance and commitment by any means, but the key to me seems to be directed faith. I have read reports of Near Death Experiences in which the person found themselves in hell, but cried out, “Jesus!” and were indeed given another chance. The problem is the many who don’t know to make that cry, and worse, the many who know but still won’t cry out to Him. That’s not to say that people shouldn’t commit to Jesus as Lord as early as they possibly can. Life with the assurance of salvation and life without it are entirely different propositions. As others have commented, I’m sure that when we get to heaven we will be shocked, both at who is there and who isn’t. Going through the motions and saying platitudes aren’t the same thing as saving faith, but saving faith can be as simple as looking the right direction at the right time. We aren’t to go around designating who is saved and who isn’t. Rather, we are to make the Gospel as clear as possible to as many as possible, so that they may make the choice to believe.

This is very close to home for me. I can think of several people who left this life without a formal profession of faith, yet I have hope that in that moment of passing they cried out to the Jesus they had heard about from me. I can’t say that I will see them in heaven, but I likewise can’t be sure I won’t. When we shared our highlights of the past year at the watchnight service on the 31st, I had to say that mine was seeing and hearing the response of a 99-year-old lady shortly before Christmas when I prayed that Christ would be born in her heart. We’ve seen her once since, and the joy and peace are still there. I have assurance that she will indeed be one of those around the Throne! There are so many to whom we have ministered over the years, some of them still here and some not. I will not know until I get there myself how many will join me, but I feel sure the number will be far greater than what the devil has been telling me over the years.

Father, thank You for this encouraging Word. Help me never take salvation lightly, either for myself or for anyone else, but rather remember that Christ alone is the Savior, and share the knowledge of Him with as many as possible, for You to save them by the work of Your Spirit, for Your glory. Thank You. Hallelujah!

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Waiting Expectantly; January 1, 2025

Posted on January 2, 2025 by jgarrott

Isaiah 40:30-31 Even youths grow tired and weary,
    and young men stumble and fall;
but those who hope in the Lord
    will renew their strength.
They will soar on wings like eagles;
    they will run and not grow weary,
    they will walk and not be faint.

As familiar as this passage is, and despite having had it as the reading just two days ago, there is still much to meditate on. Isaiah has just been reminding us of the omnipotent sovereignty of God. In verse 28 he points out that God never gets tired, and goes on in verse 29 to say that He gives power to the faint, to those who are exhausted. Here, Isaiah mentions young men, those we think of as examples of strength and energy, and reminds us that there are limits to their strength as well. Then he says, but. When we use, but, we are likely to be making excuses, but the word itself simply indicates an exception – and I had to use it to describe it! I have the feeling Isaiah had experienced the truth of this verse more than once. Every servant of God experiences times when they completely run out of strength, but then God pours His strength into and through them. Paul famously experienced that in relation to a physical ailment, and God’s response to him was epic: “My grace is sufficient for you, for my power is made perfect in weakness.” (2 Corinthians 12:9) Paul’s response to that should be an example to us all: “That is why, for Christ’s sake, I delight in weaknesses, in insults, in hardships, in persecutions, in difficulties. For when I am weak, then I am strong.” (2 Corinthians 12:10) God’s power flows through us only to the degree we recognize that it isn’t our own power, and open ourselves up to allow Him to flow through us. When that happens, we indeed walk, run, and even fly in His strength, doing His will for His glory.

I had a practicum in this just yesterday. On the 30th, we had been up late because of picking people up at the airport, but Cathy had a rough night in terms of pain, so we didn’t sleep in yesterday morning. I knew we would be up past midnight because of our Watchnight service, but I only managed to grab a 45-minute nap in the afternoon. As I commented to Cathy, “I don’t know how God is going to get me through this, but I know He will.” At 76, I can hardly lay claim to being a youth, and as Isaiah points out, even they get tired! However, God came through beautifully, and once people arrived, I was carried along by the Holy Spirit and felt neither tired nor sleepy until we were getting ready for bed around 1. We essentially slept through until 7, much later than we usually get up, and I currently feel great! I am to be a good steward of this body God has given me and I’m not to be presumptuous, but my hope is to be in my God, and not in myself or any human agency. Often that involves waiting, as this passage is often translated, but I’m getting better at that, and I know that God’s solutions are always the best.

Father, thank You for this reminder on the first day of the year. May I not forget it any day of the year, but rather wait expectantly but not impatiently for You to work Your perfect will, even in and through me, for Your glory. Thank You. Hallelujah!

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Being a Light; December 31, 2024

Posted on January 1, 2025 by jgarrott

Daniel 12:3 Those who are wise will shine like the brightness of the heavens, and those who lead many to righteousness, like the stars for ever and ever.

The Book of Daniel can get pretty cryptic, and in this chapter Daniel himself says that he doesn’t understand all that he is being shown and told. (verse 8) However, the point is that things aren’t going to go on like they are forever; God has specific plans for their resolution. The point for us is to seek to be among those who lead many to righteousness. I keep saying it, when it really goes without saying, but we can’t save anyone in our own wisdom and strength. However, we can speak the truth in love and we can set an example, so that people will know that righteousness is actually possible. Some people don’t believe that last part, and we need to show them it’s true. This verse actually ties in with something Jesus famously said: “In the same way, let your light shine before others, that they may see your good deeds and glorify your Father in heaven.” (Matthew 5:16) We are to be lights illuminating the way for others to follow in seeking God. Of course, Jesus is the ultimate Light, but when we are abiding in Him, we too shine with His light, and that is what He was talking about. Without that light, the world is a very dark place, and people have no real idea where or how to walk. This is in no way conceit. If we fail to show others the way, who will?

Of course this applies to me. My light hasn’t always been the brightest by any means, but I have managed to be a guide to some. In my 2024 photo show I included a picture of this church building at dusk, with the stained glass and cross illuminated, and titled it, “The Town Lighthouse.” Several people expressed appreciation and/or agreement with that sentiment. We are about to start a new calendar year. In 2025 I need to shine, not with my own light but with that of Christ, so that many may see and be drawn to the life of righteousness by faith, for their salvation and God’s glory.

Father, thank You for this reminder. I need all sorts of reminders! It was a shock to realize that I never got back to this computer to post blog yesterday. Thank You that I could post just now, and that I can now post what I wrote yesterday. I pray that my words would indeed be light to those who read them, for their blessing and Your glory. Thank You. Praise God!

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The Creator; December 30, 2024

Posted on December 31, 2024 by jgarrott

Isaiah 40:21 Do you not know?
    Have you not heard?
Has it not been told you from the beginning?
    Have you not understood since the earth was founded?

This is a rhetorical question, but a very important one that needs to keep being asked every generation. It’s kind of like God is saying, “Hey, you dimwits, haven’t you learned anything?” It’s like Paul wrote to the Romans: “What may be known about God is plain to them, because God has made it plain to them. For since the creation of the world God’s invisible qualities—his eternal power and divine nature—have been clearly seen, being understood from what has been made, so that people are without excuse.” (Romans 1:19-20) As more and more scientists have shown, it is a mathematical impossibility that the universe exists as it does by chance, and if it’s not by chance, that requires a Creator. That’s essentially the argument Isaiah is making here, but he’s making it without all the scientific window dressing. There are only two real reasons to deny a Creator, and only one of those is honest. That honest reason is that we can’t understand Him. To which I say, “Well, duh! Could an ant understand you?” The comparison is actually even more drastic than that, which is why God so graciously reaches down to interact with us, speaking directly through prophets at times and causing the Bible to be written. The other reason to deny the Creator is far more common, and it is totally dishonest: the simple desire to avoid accountability. As SpaceX has been demonstrating, when engineers create something they have every reason to expect it to perform as designed, and when it doesn’t, they have every reason to tear it apart (physically or metaphorically) and redo it. We don’t like that God has every right to do that with us! Just as engineers set performance parameters for their creations, so God sets such parameters for us, and performing within them is what produces longevity on several levels. God’s rules for mankind, starting with the 10 Commandments, are the performance parameters that produce the greatest good. Failing to understand those parameters, or trying to deny that they exist, only produces heartache and destruction.

I didn’t set out to write “An Engineering Proof of God” there! I was thankfully raised with the awareness of our Creator, but I certainly can’t claim to have always stayed within my “design parameters!” The longer I live, the more amazing it is to me that God actually cares so much about us. That level of caring is certainly beyond human ability, by definition supernatural. That He wouldn’t just swat us down is proof that “The Lord is slow to anger, abounding in love and forgiving sin and rebellion.” (Numbers 14:18) I am very much the beneficiary of His mercy, but I don’t want to keep testing it! Of course, I have the assurance of John 3:16 and a whole host of New Testament statements of what God has done for me in Christ, so I need to operate in grateful obedience as a result. After all, He has gone so far as to give me an intimate, personal relationship with Him by His Spirit, and I must never take that for granted.

Father, thank You for this reminder. Thank You for this year You’ve brought us through. Calendars are human constructs, but they can be useful. In the coming year may I indeed “see You more clearly, love You more dearly, follow You more nearly, day by day,” as the song says, for Your glory. Thank You. Praise God!

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Healing; December 29, 2024

Posted on December 31, 2024 by jgarrott

Isaiah 53:5 But he was pierced for our transgressions,
    he was crushed for our iniquities;
the punishment that brought us peace was on him,
    and by his wounds we are healed.

I think this chapter is one of the most important in the whole Bible, right up there with Genesis 1 and John 3. This particular verse is quoted by Peter in 1 Peter 2:24, and is greatly used by those with a specifically healing ministry. The thing is, healing isn’t limited to the physical. Jesus’ suffering on our behalf wasn’t limited to the physical, though that is most famous. As John said, “He came to that which was his own, but his own did not receive him.” (John 1:11) If we feel we have been rejected, Jesus had it worse! He had a relative about whom He cared deeply, John the Baptist, be arrested and then murdered by the authorities. He had one of His closest companions, whom He Himself had chosen, literally sell Him out for some silver coins. Any time we are tempted to have a pity party, we need to meditate on what Jesus did for us! The thing is, He went through all of that so that we could be healed, not just for us to admire His fortitude and endurance. The mechanisms by which that healing takes place are often in the realm of mystery, and it is also a mystery why some healings take place and others don’t seem to. Joni Tada is an excellent example here, because she certainly believes in divine healing, yet she has been wheelchair-bound since she was 16. However, in that long period God has shown Himself to be very real to her, and her faith has been a magnificent example to many. The thing is, Jesus took everything bad about us on Himself and turned it around for good. We don’t necessarily get to specify how He’s going to turn it around, but we can have assurance that He will do it. (Romans 8:28)

I quote this verse as part of my faith declarations, which I’ve been using for well over 40 years now. I start each one with, “By the grace of God,” since I know I can’t “pull myself up by my own bootstraps,” as the saying goes. This particular one says, “By the grace of God, each day I and those under me are walking more fully in the health of Jesus Christ, for it is written, ‘By His stripes we are healed.’” I added “and those under me” over 30 years ago because we had a young man in our church who required dialysis three times a week. He’s no longer here, but since then my wife’s medical issues have come to the forefront, and I’m certainly not going to drop the phrase now! In general, I am amazingly healthy for my age, but as I have been writing, I just had a goodly bout of influenza. That doesn’t negate this statement by Isaiah by any means. Disease is endemic to this planet, and is part of the “troubles” Jesus mentioned in John 16:33. However, as He said there, we aren’t to get down about anything, but remember that He has already overcome it all, and we just have to wait for the manifestation of that victory.

Father, thank You for this reminder, and for my recent experience of needing Your healing. Thank You for providing it! I pray that as people gather this morning for the last service of the year that joy and gratitude would be the main themes, with rich testimonies of Your grace, for Your glory. Thank You. Hallelujah!

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The Purpose of the Incarnation; December 28, 2024

Posted on December 29, 2024 by jgarrott

Colossians 1:19-20 For God was pleased to have all his fullness dwell in him, and through him to reconcile to himself all things, whether things on earth or things in heaven, by making peace through his blood, shed on the cross.

When you think about it, it’s rather incredible that Paul would write something so poetic, and at the same time so theologically deep, in a letter to a group he didn’t know personally. He obviously had a high level of trust in the Holy Spirit, that He was working in the hearts and lives of this group of believers. That said, Paul wanted to be sure that the Colossian believers understood the purpose and efficacy of the ministry of Jesus. This is an important thing for us too to remember, right after we’ve been singing and thinking about Jesus as a little baby in a manger. Too many people would like to leave Him there! However, that little baby grew up, confounding the teachers in the temple at His bar mitzva, calling apostles to abandon their previous lifestyles and follow Him, healing the sick and raising the dead, calming a storm with a verbal command, going toe-to-toe with the Pharisees on what the Law of Moses actually means, and then willingly taking on the penalty for our sins in horrible suffering, and proving it was real by rising from the dead. We must not leave Him in the manger! We need to meditate on what Paul wrote here to the Colossians and let it work into us, correcting our traditions and our misconceptions and setting us free to enjoy the fulness of Christ’s work for us. Since Japanese does very little with pronouns, the translation I use repeatedly says “the Son,” which helps us remember that this isn’t just some random guy off the street. God’s plan of salvation was set from Creation, and we continually learn more of its magnificence.

I’ve long had a warm spot in my heart for this passage, since the Lord gave me a calypso-feel musical setting for verses 15-20 (skipping a few things along the way) in 1978. However, knowing the words and even singing them isn’t necessarily the same as letting them sink in to control our thoughts and actions. This doesn’t seem like a very “directive” passage, but the more I make it part of me, the less I will be shaken by all the little things that happen in life. Physically, I’m very grateful to say that I seem to clearly be “over the hump” of the influenza I’m had the past several days. That has been a reminder that I can’t do anything on my own, but am totally dependent on my Creator and Lord. I’m not quite 100% yet, but the difference is enough to make me very happy. I told my wife this morning that her dishwasher was back in working order! There are various things to be done today in preparation for the service tomorrow, and it’s very nice not to dread them from a physical standpoint. I have long loved John 16:33, and I am indeed learning to take heart in the middle of this world’s troubles, because Jesus is Lord!

Father, thank You for Your overflowing grace to me. Help me not draw back from anything, but know that in Christ You will take me through, until I stand before You in glory. Thank You. Praise God!

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Going by the Rules; December 27, 2024

Posted on December 28, 2024 by jgarrott

Luke 2:39 When Joseph and Mary had done everything required by the Law of the Lord, they returned to Galilee to their own town of Nazareth.

It’s interesting that Luke completely skips over the magi and the escape to Egypt. It’s quite possible he didn’t consider it that germane to the story, or even that Mary forgot to mention it when he was interviewing her for this Gospel. In any case, the point of this verse is that Joseph and Mary did everything called for in the Law, just as Jesus said that He hadn’t come to abolish the Law but to fulfill it. (Matthew 5:17) We need to remember that everything God tells us to do has a good purpose, and we will be blessed in the doing. The loss of a Sabbath rest for the vast majority of society is a huge loss indeed, leading to burnout, misplaced priorities, and even mental illness. Some of the OT laws were for that time and those circumstances. I am personally very thankful to not have to abstain from shellfish, but in the time of the Exodus and even much later, only people who lived on the shores of the sea could eat them safely, because there was no refrigeration, and no understanding of breeding cycles. Even today we need to be very careful of such things. I had a cousin die from eating oysters in August. The irony is, he was a biologist! The point is, we need to go by the rule book, unless the Lord makes it clear there’s to be an exception, such as when He gave Peter the vision of “unclean” animals and told him to “kill and eat.” (Acts 10) The final answer is that God’s rules are for our good, and we need to remember it.

I have written many times about my struggles with spiritual pride. One manifestation of that is thinking you are “above” the rules. Politicians certainly seem to fall prey to that! It is even sadder when church leaders get tripped up by it. I have seen too many anointed people trash their ministry with that attitude, including some close to me. Like Paul, I don’t want to admonish others and then fall short myself! (1 Corinthians 9:27) Right now, with what seems to be a goodly case of influenza, I am very aware of my physical limitations, and pride doesn’t seem to be in the picture. Praise God! In God’s gracious timing, all I have to do today is draw up the January Scripture list, since this coming Sunday is just singing and testimonies. I need to rest, relax, and rejoice in my Lord, just as He has told me to do, whatever my body feels like, and leave the results up to Him.

Father, thank You for this reminder. Thank You that I could be “upright” to talk to the man from the company that will be painting our roof and walls next month. I pray that we would be agreed on such things as colors, and that the finished result would be fully attractive to draw more people in. May we recognize what You want us doing when, and do it with joy and laughter, for Your glory. Thank You. Hallelujah!

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Details; December 26, 2024

Posted on December 27, 2024 by jgarrott

Luke 2:22 When the time came for the purification rites required by the Law of Moses, Joseph and Mary took him to Jerusalem to present him to the Lord.

This passage makes it definitive that the magi didn’t show up at the stable with the shepherds, countless “manger sets” notwithstanding. Leviticus 12:3-4 specifies that what is recorded here happened at least 41 days after Jesus was born, because babies were circumcised on the 8th day, and then there was a 33-day purification period. It’s interesting what errors creep into the Church when people fail to read the Bible, and instead prefer their own traditions. We know that this incident didn’t occur after the magi’s visit, because Joseph took his family and escaped into Egypt immediately, as Matthew 2:14 says clearly. It is also worth noting that this story makes it clear Joseph and Mary weren’t well-off, because Leviticus 12:8 specifies the offering they brought for those who “couldn’t afford a lamb.” Something I had never thought of before is that they couldn’t have brought a lamb because Jesus Himself was the Lamb of God, and the time for His sacrifice was not yet. There are always deeper levels of understanding if we keep reading the Bible! There is much to say here about Simeon, his faithfulness to God and God’s promise in response to that, but I think the overall point is that there are no unimportant details. The degree of importance can vary greatly, but God is in total control. Our place is to seek God’s will and commit ourselves to following it, knowing that will produce the absolutely best result.

I have experienced this countless times, discovering after the fact that some “minor” detail was actually vitally important. That’s why I know that the only logical course is to thank God for everything, since it all comes through His loving hands. That includes whatever it is I’ve got now. He got me through the Eve candlelight service, but yesterday morning I felt lousy and had a fever of 38 degrees Celsius (100.4). This morning I feel better, but my temperature is still 37.3 (99.14) and my nose is running, which it wasn’t doing particularly before. I don’t know what God’s purpose is in allowing this, but I trust Him, so I thank Him for it. Now, I need to allow Him to show me what my schedule is to be, so that I will fulfill His purposes for His glory.

Father, thank You for this reminder. Thank You for the unavoidable things on today’s schedule. I pray that I wouldn’t spread this bug around, and that I would experience Your full healing in Your timing, for Your glory. Thank You. Praise God!

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Matthew; December 25, 2024

Posted on December 26, 2024 by jgarrott

Matthew 2:17 Then what was said through the prophet Jeremiah was fulfilled:

Matthew is far and away the most Jewish of the Gospels. There is good literary evidence that it was originally written in Aramaic, and only later translated into Greek. Matthew goes to the most trouble to indicate how Jesus fulfilled assorted Old Testament prophecies, and I have heard that even today it is the most effective book to use in evangelizing Jews. Many are shocked that it is so Jewish! Americans don’t have much framework to understand the difference between Hebrew and Aramaic, but a fairly close analogy would be calling Hebrew “King James English,” and Aramaic, normal, every-day conversation. With all his references to fulfilled prophecy, Matthew wasn’t trying to appear erudite, he was just trying to show people that Jesus was the promised Messiah for whom they had been waiting. It’s interesting that Matthew was so well read in the Old Testament, because he was never a scribe, but rather a tax collector. That occupation would certainly not produce many Bible scholars! I think Matthew had a lot in common with John Newton, who famously wrote Amazing Grace. They both were in occupations that were considered deeply sinful by most people, but God met them where they were and overwhelmed them with His acceptance, grace, and love. It is a blessed thing indeed when we grasp the character of God without going off the deep end in the other direction first!

I have experienced God’s grace on a very personal level. I keep coming back to this, because it was a defining experience in my life. As I have said, I grew up steeped in the Bible, knowing a great deal about it even as a child, and I allowed that to lure me into spiritual pride. I thought any church I walked into was blessed! It was after I got out of the army, with a wife and one daughter at that point, that the Lord tapped me on the shoulder and, when I turned, showed me a mirror, so that for just a moment I could see the blackness of my soul. I think that’s much like what Matthew experienced when the Lord called him to follow Him, right from the outdoor tax office. I know that when it happened to me, I fell to my knees and cried out, My Lord and my God! The experience obviously transformed Matthew, and I trust it has transformed me. My task now is to draw others into the Family of God as well, not from any point of pride but with the desire that they also discover the grace and love of their Creator, for their salvation and His glory.

Father, thank You for this reminder. Thank You for getting us through the Eve candlelight service last night, and that today is Christmas day. Thank You that physically, I feel pretty miserable at the moment. Thank You for enabling me not only to lead the service last night but also to sing, which I was concerned about. Thank You that today is a relaxed schedule. Help me not waste the day, but rather do precisely what You want me to do, when and how You want me to do it, whether it’s resting or anything else, for Your glory. Thank You. Praise God!

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Acting on Truth; December 24, 2024

Posted on December 25, 2024 by jgarrott

Matthew 2:5 “In Bethlehem in Judea,” they replied, “for this is what the prophet has written:”

It has always bothered me that the priests and scribes were so familiar with the Old Testament that they could come up with this answer, but they had so little expectation of prophecy being fulfilled that they made no move of their own to try to find the child of whom this was prophesied, even though magi had come a great distance to search for Him, convinced that the prophecy was fulfilled. Human beings are capable of incredible rationalizations and justifications that have no basis in reality! We get so completely blinded and absorbed by what our senses tell us that we don’t listen to God at all. We expect everything to be business as usual, when God is saying, “Behold, I do a new thing.” Things can change! Recently something happened in Washington DC that Bill Whittle characterized as pigs flying: a 1500+ page Continuing Resolution was cut down to less than 10% of the original, and then was passed overwhelmingly. There is hope for change in Washington! As momentous as that might seem, it is relatively insignificant on the eternal scale, and it is not very personal for most of us. We need to be listening to God and doing what He tells us. Many are pointing to signs of prophetic fulfillment, indicating End Times, but many more are oblivious. That’s on the eternal scale. On the personal scale, God tells us to speak to someone, but we’re embarrassed or just can’t be bothered, and so we miss out on participating in something God wants to do. The priests and scribes who essentially ignored the magi and Scripture were not unusually bad. In a way, they were all too typical of how we respond to the truth God presents to us.

I have long felt that James 1:22 was written expressly to me: “Do not merely listen to the word, and so deceive yourselves. Do what it says.” I have been steeped in the Bible all my life, but I too fail to apply it consistently to my daily life. God speaks to me in various ways all the time, but I am all too prone to say, that’s nice, and just go on my way as though I never heard Him. That’s the height of stupidity, deceiving myself, just as James said. As a pastor, I am forever telling others to listen to God, but I don’t bat 1000 myself. I’m reminded of something Jesus told His disciples: “So you also, when you have done everything you were told to do, should say, ‘We are unworthy servants; we have only done our duty.’” (Luke 17:10) I haven’t even done everything I was told to do! I am not to put people down for their failures, but walk with them in spiritual growth, knowing that God alone is perfect, and He is incredibly gracious and loving.

Father, thank You for this reminder. I’ve always been down on those priests and scribes, but I’m not much better! Help me not only take in what You say to me, but follow through to do it, in Your strength and wisdom, for Your glory. Thank You. Praise God!

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