Last Days; November 23, 2024

Posted on November 24, 2024 by jgarrott

Matthew 24:36 “But about that day or hour no one knows, not even the angels in heaven, nor the Son,[a] but only the Father.”

It seems there is a rising chorus of voices speaking of these being the Last Days, and I can’t say I doubt it. At the same time, we have this verse, and the imperative to be faithful at the tasks the Lord has set for us. The awareness that everything is going to come to an end should light a fire under us and keep us from being complacent, or, for that matter, procrastinate. A few years ago there was a Japanese popular song that said, “There’s always tomorrow.” In a sense it was a noble effort to release people from the stress of having to do, do, do, but the fundamental premise was wrong. None of us has a guarantee of tomorrow, but at the same time the philosophy of “Eat, drink, and be merry, for tomorrow we die,” is self-destructive. A well-lived life is a balance of being faithful at the tasks we are given and at the same time knowing that what really matters is eternity. As always, Jesus is our perfect example. He, more than anyone, knew His time on earth was limited, but He was fully present for every situation, and He also took time to get away with His disciples to rest and relax. We need to be aware that our time is limited, either by the end of all things or by our own death, and at the same time remember that we are here for a purpose, and seek to know and fulfill that purpose. Along with that, we need to remember that the power and wisdom to do the things assigned to us lies with God and not with ourselves, so that we get neither puffed up nor stressed out. We need to plan as though we will be here for a very long time, but at the same time live so that we will have no regrets whenever the Lord says, “Now.”

This is certainly relevant to me, particularly since I’m now 76! There are a number of things about my current life that would be difficult for my survivors if the Lord were to suddenly take me, and I need to have consideration for them. At the same time, I am to be forward-looking, joyfully anticipating what the Lord is going to do next. My father was taken home at 64 and my mother at 72, so I am aware that I am on “borrowed time.” At the same time, I am remarkably healthy for my age, and could well have another 20 years in this body. That said, I would be most delighted if Christ were to return soon! I need to pay attention to the truths I expressed just above this, and live as an agent of God’s grace and blessing for however long the Lord keeps me here.

Father, thank You for this reminder. Help me indeed fulfill all Your purposes for me, on Your schedule for Your glory. Thank You. Praise God!

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Human Stupidity; November 22, 2024

Posted on November 23, 2024 by jgarrott

Matthew 17:4 Peter said to Jesus, “Lord, it is good for us to be here. If you wish, I will put up three shelters—one for you, one for Moses and one for Elijah.”

I am reminded of Einstein’s famous quote: “There are two things that are infinite: the universe, and human stupidity. And I’m not so sure about the universe.” This is such a laughably inappropriate thing for Peter to have said! Jesus told them not to tell anyone about it all until after the resurrection, but I have the feeling not just James and John, but Peter himself told the other disciples about this after that point. The thing is, after having denied Jesus three times during His trial, and then being forgiven after His resurrection, Peter had zero personal pride left. That’s actually a very good place to be! We are capable of absolutely incredible stupidity, sometimes with horrific results. I’m reminded of the details that have come out from the trial of the man who murdered Laken Riley. He was married, and yet chose to go out to rape someone, and murdered her when she resisted. That is stupidity beyond belief. When we read all the Bible stories, sometimes we think, “How could they be so stupid?” For me, Solomon comes to mind. However, that’s a reminder that we’re just as human as they were, and we too are capable of incredible stupidity. The wisest course, without question, is to seek and follow God’s guidance at every turn, but we seldom operate in such wisdom. We need to have enough wisdom to know that we’re ignorant and stupid! That’s why the Bible says, in multiple places and with various turns of phrase, “The fear of the Lord is the beginning of wisdom, and knowledge of the Holy One is understanding.” (Proverbs 9:10) The smartest thing is to know that God alone is smart!

This is extremely appropriate for me, because I was born with a high IQ and quickly got used to being “the smartest person in the room.” That led to insufferable pride, which is the ultimate expression of stupidity! God dealt with the pride to a great extent when I was 24, but it wasn’t many years ago when it really penetrated that God’s smart and I’m not. I’m not just stupid, I’m stubbornly stupid! However, there is great liberty in that realization. I’ll never be the smartest person in the room, because God is omnipresent, and He’s the only one that truly “knows it all.” I am constantly faced with decisions of one sort and another, and I’ve got to keep the ears of my heart open to hear what God says about each one. Thankfully, I have God’s promise through Isaiah: “Whether you turn to the right or to the left, your ears will hear a voice behind you, saying, ‘This is the way; walk in it.’” (Isaiah 30:21) My task is to be listening, and obedient.

Father, thank You for this reminder. Thank You for not giving up on me in my stupidity! Help me express Your grace to those around me, so that together we may learn from You, even through each other, for Your glory. Thank You. Praise God!

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Speaking God’s Words; November 21, 2024

Posted on November 22, 2024 by jgarrott

Matthew 10:19-20 “But when they arrest you, do not worry about what to say or how to say it. At that time you will be given what to say, for it will not be you speaking, but the Spirit of your Father speaking through you.”

Jesus is talking here specifically about times of persecution, but this is still an absolutely marvelous promise. Sadly, a lot of preachers seem to forget it! It’s not that sermons aren’t to be prepared, or that research isn’t to be done, but rather that the words that come out of our mouths should be those of our Father in heaven, and not something we have cooked up. A carefully crafted argument, such as a lawyer might use, can be convincing, and skillful oratory can be moving, but nothing matches speaking the words of our Father in heaven, given to us by His Spirit. Part of the problem is that we have it very easy, being paid to speak whatever we come up with. Here, Jesus is talking about being hauled into a hostile venue and required to speak to defend your life. Such circumstances really sharpen your focus! Today, there are multiple sermon collections for people to copy, and even sermons written by Artificial Intelligence! I don’t think an AI sermon is going to work the will of God. (Isaiah 55:10-11) The problem is two-fold. First, we think that what we say depends on us. We don’t really believe God will speak through us, and so we don’t expect it. Second, we think we can get by without the Holy Spirit. That one is absurd to the point of being laughable! A message is not the same as a Ted Talk, but you’d never know it from many churches. When we focus on “your best life now,” we have abandoned the God we say we serve, and are pandering to itching ears. (2 Timothy 4:3) Sometimes God will indeed say encouraging things through us, but He never excuses sin and he always calls us to repentance. Part of the problem is that the preacher hasn’t repented! That God chooses to speak through His servants, His children, is miraculous, and we are never to take it lightly. Rather, both speakers and hearers are to be humble before our Creator and do as He desires, fulfilling the words that He speaks, for His glory.

This is the very center of my ministry. It has been recognized since my childhood that God has given me a gift for words, but that gift is meaningless unless I’m speaking His words. That’s why I start every formal message with a prayer acknowledging that reality. I can cook up a message and have it sound pretty good, but it has no power without God’s Spirit, just as Jesus says here. I have quoted and claimed Isaiah 55:10-11 for many years, but I am never to think for a moment that words that are just mine have that effect. At the same time, I must acknowledge that God can and does speak through me, and so keep myself available to Him in all humility and gratitude.

Father, thank You for this reminder. Thank You for the incredible privilege of being Your agent, both in words and in deeds. Thank You for the beautifully productive day yesterday. May I be fully yielded to You today as well, so that Your will may be done in and through me, for Your glory. Thank You. Hallelujah!

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Treasure; November 20, 2024

Posted on November 21, 2024 by jgarrott

Matthew 6:21 For where your treasure is, there your heart will be also.

This whole chapter is extremely familiar, to the point that I could just about quote it verbatim, but again, it contains deep truths that call for frequent meditation. In all things, value is in the eye of the beholder. Gold and diamonds wouldn’t be expensive if people didn’t want them. Scarcity also plays into that. If the sand on the seashore were diamonds, we probably wouldn’t use diamonds for engagement rings! (Actually, now that we can make diamonds, the price has gone down, particularly for industrial use, and gem companies are worried about that.) The point is, what one person might value highly, another person might not value at all. That’s why Jesus spoke of treasure, since each individual’s definition is somewhat different. Another way to say what Jesus says here is that our heart defines what our treasure is. Verse 33 of this chapter famously says that we are to “Seek first the kingdom of God and His righteousness.” What we seek first is indeed our treasure. Another way to say that is, what makes you deeply happy? When walking with God and serving Him is what satisfies us most, then we are indeed “laying up treasure in heaven,” because in heaven, that will be everything!

This is something I’ve grown into over the years. In a sense, that makes me more childlike. A little child might value nothing more than their favorite blanket, and stacks of money are meaningless to them. In much the same way, physical things are losing their attraction to me. Objects have value according to their utility, and the desire for “things” is greatly diminished. It is interesting that it is at this point in my life that we have been notified that a relative remembered us in their will, for a sizeable amount. I’ve never had to deal with such funds before, and it seems like a lot of trouble! However, I’m to be a good steward, seeking God for how He wants those funds used, because my treasure is indeed in heaven, and I’m very happy about that. I have learned that “things” don’t make me happy for long, but the love of my wife and family, genetic and spiritual, is a huge blessing. Above all, I desire the peace and security of knowing that I’m in the center of God’s plans for me, and that is something unrelated to my bank account.

Father, thank You for this timely reminder. I do ask Your guidance and timing for everything, including when we go to enjoy our true treasure with You in heaven, so that Your purposes may be fulfilled on Your schedule for Your glory. Thank You. Hallelujah!

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Blessing Others; November 19, 2924

Posted on November 20, 2024 by jgarrott

Matthew 5:16 “In the same way, let your light shine before others, that they may see your good deeds and glorify your Father in heaven.”

The Sermon on the Mount is one of Jesus’ most famous teachings, but familiarity can often breed contempt. Even the most familiar parts of God’s truth are worthy of meditation. This particular verse is balanced by Jesus saying that the Pharisees public “acts of piety” were worthless, which comes up in the very next chapter. (Matthew 6:5) The “good deeds” Jesus is talking about here aren’t things to make us look good, they are things that do good to others. We aren’t to be trumpeting what we have done, but we aren’t to be shy about being God’s agents of blessing. The thing to focus on here is that our Father in heaven gets the praise. When someone says, “Thank God you did that for me,” we’ve done it right! Some people are so shy of attention that they won’t do anything, but that’s depriving God of the praise and glory He deserves. We need to operate on the principle that if God can use us, He can use anybody, and since He really can use anybody, we’d better be available!

I’ve experienced many times the joy of being God’s agent of blessing, and I’m hooked! I feel like God has blessed me incredibly, and I love to share that around. To this point, finances have had very little to do with that. Helpful, timely words cost me nothing, yet they can bless deeply. Kindness and acceptance go a long way in opening people’s hearts to their Creator who loves them. Sometimes, simply being there is the best thing I can do. Whatever the avenue, I am to seek to be available as a channel of God’s blessings, so that people will indeed know that God is real, and open their hearts to Him.

Father, this is one of the shortest things I’ve written in a long time, but it’s a pretty simple principle. Help me not inflate what You are doing, but rather transmit it in simplicity and purity, for the blessing of others and for Your glory. Thank You. Praise God!

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Preparation; November 18, 2024

Posted on November 19, 2024 by jgarrott

Matthew 4:17 From that time on Jesus began to preach, “Repent, for the kingdom of heaven has come near.”

Even Jesus had to be prepared for His ministry, and experiencing and resisting major temptation was a major part of that. There are some fanciful tales of Jesus performing miracles as a little child, but I don’t give credence to any of those. If Jesus hadn’t encountered difficulties of various sorts, such as we all do throughout our lives, He would not have participated fully in our condition. As it says in Hebrews, “For we do not have a high priest who is unable to empathize with our weaknesses, but we have one who has been tempted in every way, just as we are—yet he did not sin.” (Hebrews 4:15) Like us, Jesus had to be tempered by life on this earth, and He became the perfect tool for God to work salvation for mankind. That’s why He could say so clearly, “In this world you will have trouble.” (John 16:33) We don’t experience temptations quite as severe as Jesus did in the wilderness just before this, but we do experience the same kind of temptations. Like Him, we are tempted to prioritize our physical bodies over obedience to God. That’s a big one for most people! We are likewise tempted to do things just to attract attention to us, and we are also tempted to give our allegiance to things other than God. (In the final analysis, all of those things will turn out to be fronts for the devil.) It is in encountering and overcoming those temptations that we are grown and tempered and prepared to be fully useful to God for the tasks for which He created us, and we should be grateful.

I realize that everything I have experienced in my 76 years so far has prepared me for what God has for me today, and today will in turn prepare me for what tomorrow holds. Sometimes I feel unprepared for what I encounter, but to the degree that might be true, it indicates that I haven’t made full use of the training God has provided for me, and even more, that I’m not trusting Him fully. I need to remember that, as Jude wrote, God “is able to keep [me] from stumbling and to present [me] before his glorious presence without fault and with great joy.” (Jude 1:24) And Jude knew that from experience, because he was Jesus’ little brother! As the song says, “I know who holds the future, and I know who hold my hand.” I indeed don’t know about tomorrow, but I know that my God knows, and He has prepared me, and will prepare me, for everything I will encounter.

Father, thank You for this reminder. Thank You that today is Cathy’s birthday. I pray that I would fulfill all of Your plans for me today for her sake, as You have prepared me to do, so that You may receive all the glory. Thank You. Praise God!

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End-Times Prophecy; November 17, 2024

Posted on November 18, 2024 by jgarrott

Zechariah 14:9 The Lord will be king over the whole earth. On that day there will be one Lord, and his name the only name.

The dramatic events described in this chapter have obviously not yet happened, which is a reminder that God isn’t through with fulfilling His Word. They are hard to imagine, even though they are quite specific, but then, many Biblical prophecies were hard to imagine before they were fulfilled. Isaiah 53 is an excellent case in point, as I’ve preached on just recently. Until Jesus walked on this earth, was persecuted and suffered horribly, died, and rose again, the words just didn’t make a lot of sense. Some of the things in this chapter are that way, too! However, when they happen, there will be people who will be spiritually alert enough to remember this passage and know that God has been faithful. One thing that is interesting to note from this verse is the elimination of all false religions. Every missionary longs for that day! Until that day, we have to keep speaking the truth in love, not looking down on people for being deceived, but praying for their eyes to be opened so that they may receive the truth that will set them free. (John 8:32) Jesus explicitly said that we don’t know the timing of all these things, so we have to operate in faith, trusting God with everything, both small and big, and focusing on faithful obedience.

I have never been one to be consumed by timelines and the like, but it’s been many years since I first had the strong feeling that I would experience the Lord’s return in my natural lifetime. That said, I have known several dear saints who had the same strong feeling, but they have gone on. I am not to try to dictate to God in any way, but rather rejoice in what He graciously shares with me and be a good steward, not just of the material but of everything, including particularly the spiritual insight He gives. The devil fights against that, but he’s no match for the Holy Spirit! I am to proclaim the truth in love for as long as the Lord gives me opportunity, so that His purposes for me may be fulfilled on His schedule for His glory.

Father, thank You for this reminder. May I never forget it, but do all the good works that You have prepared for me to do, (Ephesians 2:10) for Your pleasure and glory. Thank You. Praise God!

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Assurance; November 16, 2024

Posted on November 17, 2024 by jgarrott

Micah 7:8 Do not gloat over me, my enemy!
    Though I have fallen, I will rise.
Though I sit in darkness,
    the Lord will be my light.

This is a marvelous statement of faith that has rightly been set to music. Everyone has moments that seem dark, times when we fall flat, generally because of our own mistakes. For the person who knows God, such times are real, but they are no more than incidents, bumps in the road. As David famously proclaimed, “The Lord is my light and my salvation— whom shall I fear? The Lord is the stronghold of my life— of whom shall I be afraid?” (Psalm 27:1) We are not to expect life to be “easy street,” as Jesus cautioned us strongly, (John 16:33) but we are to abide in peace and joy, knowing that our God is bigger than any problem and stronger than any sin. We do have an enemy, the devil, and generally we have people who are influenced by him who see themselves as our enemies as well. We can quote this verse to them any time!

I have mercifully had few people who seemed to set themselves up as my enemies, but I have certainly had people who looked down on me or despised me for one reason or another. I was thankfully raised with an awareness of God’s love for me, and that has guarded me well over the years. I remember one person in the Army who took a dislike to me, and when he was given a message for me to report to the office to receive a promotion, deliberately didn’t tell me, in hopes that I wouldn’t receive the promotion. God intervened, but in human terms it was a close call. I literally hadn’t remembered him, even, in over 40 years! I’m sure that I will have more falls, more dark times, before I leave this earth, but I have no reason to dread them, because as Micah and David said, the Lord is my light and my salvation.

Father, thank You for this reminder. Help me remember it all the time, particularly when the devil tries to drag me down through my circumstances, or even by ideas he puts in my mind. Help me rest, relax, and rejoice in You, just as You have told me to do, for Your glory. Thank You. Praise God!

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Special Note

Posted on November 17, 2024 by jgarrott

When I was posting the previous post on Justice, I went to add the tag words by which people can find a post easily, and as I tried to enter the word, “justice,” the letters kept disappearing, and I was unable to add that tag. After trying for several minutes I decided to give it some time, and it ended up being 24 hours. Still no change! I have another post to upload now, and I will see what happens.

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Justice; November 15, 2024

Posted on November 17, 2024 by jgarrott

Amos 5:24 But let justice roll on like a river,
    righteousness like a never-failing stream!

This verse has been appropriately quoted by such crusaders as Martin Luther King. It is the climax of the judgment on the Northern Kingdom, that shortly after this was carried into exile in Assyria. It is striking to me that the Northern Kingdom had gone heavily into idolatry, but what the Lord is speaking to most strongly here is how people are treating each other. It has rightly been said that politics is downstream from culture, but I’m coming to the conclusion that culture is downstream from faith. If you don’t start with an awareness of the reality that we are created beings, as well as have at least a moderately accurate conception of what the Creator is like, then society itself will be badly distorted. American culture went off the rails only after prayer and the Bible were banned from public schools. From there it was a simple progression to the widespread distortion of biology, the destruction of the family, and disdain for life itself. Right now we are seeing a backlash from all of that, a pendulum swing, if you will, but unless there is reformation in the churches, a genuine revival, any changes will be no more than cosmetic. America has been an exceptional nation for the past 250 years, flaws and all, but as the Founding Fathers recognized, it will survive only by the grace of God. Right now we see almost unimaginable corruption in our institutions, but before we go accusing the institutions, we need to examine our own hearts. We are about to get a “flash flood” of justice, and there will be a lot of turmoil, but it must be founded on an unceasing stream of righteousness that comes from the Fear of the Lord. Those who know God have a lot to pray about in these days!

Living in Japan I have been somewhat insulated from the cultural rot, but I can’t say it hasn’t touched me. The Internet is pervasive! I am a very interested observer, at any rate, and prayer knows no geographic boundaries. I am to commit to a life of justice and righteousness myself, and pray earnestly for those in the middle of the fight. Right now people are being chosen for important positions, and there will be a lot of resistance to some of them, precisely because they will be champions for justice. Those who are scared of what they deserve will fight with all they have! I am to pray for God’s justice to be established and lift up those in the middle of the conflict, and I can do that as easily from Japan as from somewhere in the US. God is doing some very interesting things, and I am to trust Him and cooperate however He directs, for His glory.

Father, thank You for Your mercy on the US. Many are deceived and confused, some horribly so. I pray that Your truth would prevail in every circumstance so that people’s eyes would be opened and they be set free to love and serve You, rather than their flesh or the devil, for their salvation and Your glory. Thank You. Hallelujah!

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