Rewards; October 15, 2024

Posted on October 16, 2024 by jgarrott

Psalm 112:10 The wicked will see and be vexed,
    they will gnash their teeth and waste away;
    the longings of the wicked will come to nothing.

This Psalm sings of the blessings that accrue to the righteous, and it closes with this verse about the evil person’s response to that. This reminds me of the saying, “The best revenge is success.” We’re seeing that on the public stage these days, with such things as Elon Musk’s spectacular success with his Starship rocket. That’s not to say that he is particularly righteous, and it may not be very “spiritual,” but it illustrates this principle. When we get caught up in feelings of “payback,” we waste a lot of physical, emotional, and even spiritual energy. As many places in the Bible tell us, the rewards of the righteous don’t always manifest themselves in this life, but we can rest assured that the ultimate rewards are in eternity, both for the righteous and the wicked. The thing to remember is that the wicked aren’t going to be happy about the rewards of the righteous, and that can make them escalate their attacks at times. When that happens, we are to keep trusting God and thank Him for His resolution to whatever circumstances we find ourselves in, knowing that our reward is sure.

I feel like I have been abundantly blessed, even though I am certainly not perfectly righteous. I have the incredible privilege of collecting some of the blessings that accrued because of my ancestors’ faithfulness. I am not to take any of it for granted, but keep giving God the glory for His grace toward me. I have indeed had people who were resentful of my blessings. I have tried to tell them that God loves them as much as He does me, if they will only open their heart to Him, but most such people have not been very receptive, sadly enough. As the hymn says, I should count my blessings, but not flaunt them. (The hymn doesn’t mention that last part.) I am not to parade my blessings, but rather, quietly give God the credit and thanks and praise that are due Him, knowing that I myself am a very small part in the equation.

Father, thank You indeed for Your overflowing grace toward me. Help me indeed respond appropriately at all times, so that Your purposes for what You pour out on me may be fulfilled, for Your glory. Thank You. Praise God!

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Optimism; October 14, 2024

Posted on October 16, 2024 by jgarrott

Psalm 105:43 He brought out his people with rejoicing,
    his chosen ones with shouts of joy.

This Psalm is another one of many that recount the history of Israel, but in contrast to some of the others, it focuses entirely on the good stuff. Some might say that’s unrealistic, but focusing only on the bad is even worse! It reminds me of the popular song from some years back, “Those Were the Days,” that speaks of remembering only the enjoyable things. If we do that too much, we won’t learn from our past mistakes, but if we focus only on the bad, we forget that God is loving and gracious, and we close our heart to Him. That is tragic! This verse is used as the first line of a little chorus from about 50 years ago that includes several of the verses ahead of this to make a very cheery, encouraging song. Sometimes we need exactly that! God does require repentance, but He intends joy for His people, and we need to trust Him for that and receive the joy.

I get irritated by things like everyone else, but the Lord has trained me over the years to come back to my awareness of His loving grace. A couple of years ago I was talking with a fellow pastor about having forgiven someone who had slandered me badly, and he said, “You have more faith than I do!” I don’t know if my optimism is genuinely the result of faith, or simply a personality trait, but I do know that at one point in my life I was depressed to the point of wanting to die. That’s no fun! At this point I need to be careful not to feel “superior” to others who aren’t optimistic, because their faith is at times deeper than mine. I’m reminded of C. S. Lewis’ character Puddleglum, in the Narnia series, who was a terrible pessimist but was one of the most dependable people you could find. At the same time, I do feel that expecting good is a much more enjoyable way to live life!

Father, thank You for this reminder. Thank You for all the good things You’ve done so far on this trip. Thank You that we’ll be heading on to our next stop today. We’ll be doing things and going places that are new to us. Help us not get lost, on any level, but be and do what You desire, on Your schedule, for Your glory. Thank You. Praise God!

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The Creator; October 13, 2024

Posted on October 14, 2024 by jgarrott

Psalm 104:13 He waters the mountains from his upper chambers;
    the land is satisfied by the fruit of his work.

This Psalm is a paean to God for the wonders of the natural world. It shows what today would be called a “primitive” understanding of the universe, but it gets one thing very right: God created and rules it all. I feel sorry for anyone who denies even “intelligent design” in how things are, because there is incredible complexity, beauty, grace and even humor in it all. It would be hard to convince me that God doesn’t have a sense of humor when he created some of the animals we see – or, for that matter, humans! There is a huge irony to the way some people want to worship the created universe, calling it Gaia or something of the sort, and yet deny the One who created it all. My only conclusion is that they want to justify their “natural” impulses, without accountability. Any parent can tell you that not all of a child’s natural impulses are wise or beneficial! That’s one of the biggest challenges of parenting, but God is the perfect Parent, not only letting us know what is right but doing so gently, and as firmly as necessary. As His children, we should delight in the universe in which He has placed us, and seek to hear Him as accurately and obediently as we can, for our blessing and His glory.

I love to take pictures of the natural world, carrying a camera just about everywhere I go. Buildings and such can make interesting pictures, but I’d much rather get shots of birds and sunrises and the like. I am constantly amazed at God’s infinite creativity. He certainly doesn’t seem to think much of monotony! Usually, when I go out walking with my camera, my heart is filled with songs of praise and gratitude to such a Creator. That certainly makes my life more enjoyable! That doesn’t mean I’m not interested in the scientific explanations for all the things I’m seeing, but it does mean that I keep the awareness of the Creator of it all as the foundation for my appreciation of it. Nothing says that God had to make His universe so beautiful! As I share my pictures with people, it is my prayer that they too will recognize the work of their Creator, and turn their heart to Him.

Father, thank You indeed for Your magnificent universe, and for the privilege of sharing it with others through photography. May my pictures and my words consistently point people to You, so that they too may walk in gratitude for Your amazing grace, for Your glory. Thank You. Praise God!

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God’s Sovereignty; October 12, 2024

Posted on October 13, 2024 by jgarrott

Psalm 97:1 The Lord reigns, let the earth be glad;
    let the distant shores rejoice.

This Psalm, specifically verses 1, 3, 5, and 8, was set to music in the early days of the Charismatic Movement. Some of the other verses are echoed in other Psalms as well, and are likewise set to music. All of that is very good and appropriate, because this is a Psalm about the sovereignty of God, and that is something we must never forget. At the time it was written the world in general was polytheistic, so there are various references to “gods.” Westerners today might not identify with “worshipers of images,” (verse 7) but they are quite likely to “bow down” to all sorts of things, including social media and AI, not to mention politics. Those things might be neutral in and of themselves, but to the degree they distract us from our Creator, they become idols. There’s a reason idolatry is forbidden in the 10 Commandments, and throughout the Bible! When we lose sight of the sovereignty of God, all sorts of bad things happen. We lose our sense of purpose and feel we have only ourselves to depend on, and that is terrible indeed. For a while we might think we can make it on our own, but life has a way of tearing down that deception. An honest atheist would have to wish fervently that they were wrong in their atheism, because there is ultimately no hope apart from a benevolent Creator. The problem is, we are all prone to take our eyes off of God and act, and feel, as if He’s not really there, and that is a very sad state of affairs. The Japanese translation of this verse says, “The Lord is Lord,” indicating that the original Hebrew says, “YHWH is Lord.” The “intelligence” behind “intelligent design” is very specific, and we need to remember that. No “holy book” besides the Bible posits such a Creator as we have here, who ultimately loves His creation so much as to send His Son to die for it. (John 3:16) We need to remember that He is truly God, and rejoice to submit everything to Him.

This is something I generally take for granted, but I am having a refresher course in right now. We leave on a 4-day trip in about 2 hours, and as I told my wife a few minutes ago, this is the first time I remember being concerned about my physical ability to handle a trip I was going to take. I am strongly aware of my age! However, God has arranged this trip, and He is going to carry us through every moment, every step of it. This is an intense practicum in doing what He told me years ago: rest, relax, rejoice. I will have various opportunities for ministry on this trip, even though it isn’t “church-related,” and I need to be available and yielded for each one. I need to keep remembering another little chorus I learned years ago: “God’s got it all in control.” If I will do that, I and those around me will be blessed.

Father, thank You for this experience. I’m used to being “the man of faith,” worried about nothing, so this is a reminder that I’m just as human as anyone else. Help me indeed trust You fully, so that all of Your purposes for this trip may be fulfilled, on Your schedule for Your glory. Thank You. Hallelujah!

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Correction; October 11, 2024

Posted on October 12, 2024 by jgarrott

Psalm 94:12 Blessed is the one you discipline, Lord,
    the one you teach from your law.

In verse 1, the ESV calls God, “God of vengeance.” That kind of hit me in the face, but it agrees perfectly with the Japanese. We tend to forget that vengeance, revenge, was very much part of society in those days, and seen as an expression of justice. It’s obvious that the person who wrote this was pretty upset at the behavior of people around him. It reminds me of some of the reports coming out of the hurricane-ravaged areas of the US, of both government flunkies and “aid organizations” behaving badly. It’s important, and actually satisfying, to be able to release such things to God and know that He will take care of them eventually. Actions do have consequences! That said, this verse is an important reminder. None of us are innocent, no matter how much “better” we seem than whoever we happen to be thinking of. God “taking us out behind the woodshed” is far better than simply going to eternal damnation. I have always liked the extended treatment of this theme in Hebrews 12:4-12, and have taken it to heart. I’m very grateful that the most severe rebuke I’ve experienced to this point simply drove me to my knees, saying, “My Lord and my God,” rather than laying me on a bed of pain or even snuffing out my life. I’m grateful for God’s character, and that He “wants all people to be saved and to come to a knowledge of the truth.” (1 Timothy 2:4) He does take care of retribution, but that’s not His preferred mode of operation. The point here is twofold: we are to be grateful when God corrects us, and we are to be a peace with the assurance that He will appropriately correct everyone else as well.

As I said, I have experienced God’s correction, actually several times. I’m not proud that I’ve needed it, but I’m thankful to be aware that I’m not on some higher plane than anyone else. The ground is indeed level at the foot of the cross! The thing is, God sometimes uses us to correct each other. As Paul said, we are to admonish one another. (Colossians 3:16) I have learned the hard way that in my position as a pastor and spiritual elder, my words can at times be far more painful than I intend, and that’s not good. I need to speak the truth in love, but strive always for the love to be foremost, even when the truth is painful. On the flip side of that, I am to receive correction from others with gratitude, knowing that God is using them even if their expression of it is less than artful. We are all foolish and weak, totally dependent on God’s grace, and we need to extend that grace to each other.

Father, thank You for this clear Word. Thank You for the recent training You have given me in this area. Help me indeed be an expression of Your grace, for Your glory. Thank You. Praise God!

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Lifespan; October 10, 2024

Posted on October 11, 2024 by jgarrott

Psalm 90:12 Teach us to number our days,
    that we may gain a heart of wisdom.

The first two lines of verse 10 are famous, referring to 70 or 80 years as a normal lifespan, but the point of it all is in this verse. Indeed, my grandmother Garrott died at 80, essentially because she decided that was enough, precisely because of verse 10. However, medicine has advanced to the point that the average lifespan in the US has passed 70, and in Japan, 80, which means there are many people who exceed those ages. Japan has a “Respect for the Aged Day” every September, and this year it was reported that Omura had well over 100 centenarians, out of a population of under 100,000. That said, an equal number of people die under the average age, so the question is always, what are we doing with the years we have? That is the point of this verse, and an awareness of our mortality is indeed an important part of wisdom. Some people don’t keep pets, because, unless you choose a turtle or a parrot, pets will almost certainly die before you do, and parents want to shield their children from such sorrow. That actually is very unkind to the children! Death is very much part of life, and those who don’t understand and accept that are not wise. For the Christian, that is part of the “glorious hope” we have of eternity with Christ, but many Christians don’t act like it, instead dreading death and mourning extravagantly when a loved one dies. That is truly sad! We have an instinctive understanding that death isn’t the final answer. As Solomon noted, God has set eternity in our hearts. (Ecclesiastes 3:11) However, our respective eternities are governed by what we do in this life, starting with whether we acknowledge and submit to our Creator or conversely, rebel against Him. That God would make it possible for us to spend eternity with Him is the absolutely amazing part of the Gospel, but God having provided salvation doesn’t guarantee that we all receive it, because repentance and faith are required. That’s where the wisdom mentioned in this verse comes in. It is the height of foolishness to act like we will live forever, with no accountability, when everyone is mortal and we are all accountable to our Creator. We are indeed to “number our days,” even though we don’t know what the total will be, so that we may fulfill the purposes for which we were created, for our blessing and God’s glory.

Having gotten to 76, right between the numbers mentioned in verse 10, this feels very pertinent to me. I have a close friend who, at 81, seems to have decided that he is old, and so lives a super-cautious life. I don’t want to be foolish, to waste the physical life and health I have been given, but I do want to live life fully, as a good steward before my Lord. I’ve already outlived both my parents by a good margin, so I recognize that every day is an expression of God’s grace toward me. I am reminded that not everything in my body works as it used to, but it’s still pretty useful, and I know that God has prepared things for me to do. (Ephesians 2:10) I am to be generous with what God has poured out on me materially and spiritually, and rejoice to be available to God for however He wants to use me, for His glory.

Father, thank You for this reminder. Help me indeed operate in Your wisdom all the days that You keep me here, so that as many as possible may be drawn to repentance and faith for their salvation, for Your glory. Thank You. Praise God!

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Being Used by God; October 9, 2024

Posted on October 10, 2024 by jgarrott

Psalm 89:1 I will sing of the Lord’s great love forever;
    with my mouth I will make your faithfulness known
    through all generations.

I literally cannot read this verse without the musical arrangement of it running through my heart and mind. We don’t know who “Ethan the Ezrahite” was, but his words have certainly been fulfilled, because it has been thousands of years since he wrote them, and they still inform people of God’s faithfulness. The interesting thing is, in the 52 verses of this fairly long Psalm he goes on, from verse 38 on, to complain that God seems to have changed His mind about His people and His promises. To me, it seems he was overlooking the various sins of the people and their king, which invited the things he wasn’t happy about. As such, this demonstrates that people can have a grasp of God and His truth without having full understanding. That actually applies to every one of us, because as C. S. Lewis pointed out, when we get to heaven we will all discover that we were wrong somewhere! However, that doesn’t mean that we can’t be anointed by God and used by Him for His glory. Ethan had his blind spots, but his words have still proclaimed God’s faithfulness to all generations! We don’t have to be perfect to be useful to God. I am reminded of my father’s “trademark saying,” “Give all you know of yourself to all you know of Christ.” We should be aware of our imperfection, yet totally available to God for Him to use us however He will, for His glory.

I didn’t know how this would go when I started writing, but I think that’s part of the point. We don’t know how God will use us, and we shouldn’t try to limit Him in any way. I would be astounded if God chose to use me in some feat of physical strength, but that’s His business, not mine. However, I have gotten quite used to His using my mouth and my fingers to express His words, and I have come to expect it. That too can get dangerous, because the minute I take it for granted, I forget that it’s all grace and not my doing. He has gifted me in the area of language, but when I try to take credit, I lose the benefit. Like Ethan, I am to proclaim God’s grace and faithfulness to all, praying that my words will echo to multiple generations, but I am to recognize that my perception of God will be imperfect until I stand before Him. That said, what I do know of God is certainly worth sharing!

Father, thank You for the incredible privilege of being used by You. May I be ever more available, yet never try to take credit, before people or especially in my own heart. May all of Your purposes for me be fulfilled, on Your schedule for Your glory. Thank You. Hallelujah!

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Teaching History; October 8, 2024

Posted on October 9, 2024 by jgarrott

Psalm 78:4 We will not hide them from their descendants;
    we will tell the next generation
the praiseworthy deeds of the Lord,
    his power, and the wonders he has done.

This whole chapter is focused on communicating the history of Israel to succeeding generations. This is a matter of great importance. I used to think the Old Testament focused on it so much because most of the people in the early days were illiterate, besides the fact that the printing press hadn’t been invented, so most people didn’t have books or scrolls to read. However, recent events in the US have shown that the need is just as great today, in the “Information Age.” Schools have deliberately left off teaching history, and particularly the history of the US, so a whole generation has arisen that is woefully ignorant. What little history has been taught has presented the US in as bad a light as possible, and they have glossed over the horrible history of communist regimes. As a result, great numbers of people think socialism is a wonderful idea, and that America is fundamentally racist and imperialist. On top of that, even churches have failed to teach such basics as the 10 Commandments. It’s no wonder the nation is a mess at the moment! Teaching history in no way means glossing over the bad stuff. This chapter recounts many of the faults of Israel, but the focus is on the goodness and grace of God. It has rightly been said that those who don’t know history are doomed to repeat it. The sad and disgusting thing in America today is that there are people who are actively trying to destroy the Biblical foundation on which the nation has stood, however imperfectly, for the past 250 years. The solution is for those who know the truth to be faithful to communicate it to succeeding generations, just as this verse says.

I have always liked history, but I can’t say I’ve ever taken a history class I really enjoyed! My knowledge of history has come from chasing rabbits on my own, reading historical novels and the like. For several years I was set on becoming an archaeologist, which is another way of saying, a history nerd. My life direction certainly shifted from that, but I still find it strange, and rather sad, that most of the people around me seem to be so ignorant of history. I am not to speak down to people, but I am to seek to encourage them to learn enough about history to make informed choices today. Of course, the most important information is that we were created by God, to know Him and do His will, and that He sent His Son to make that possible. I can’t do it all, or do much of anything correctly, on my own, but I can be available to God for Him to use me, and that should be my goal at all times.

Father, thank You for this reminder. It seems like You’ve been giving me some pretty big themes recently! Help me be Your agent of grace to everyone I encounter, not burying them in more information than they can, or want to, receive, but pointing them toward You and Your truth, for their blessing and Your glory. Thank You. Praise God!

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The Fear of the Lord; October 7, 2024

Posted on October 8, 2024 by jgarrott

Psalm 76:7 It is you alone who are to be feared.
    Who can stand before you when you are angry?

The world has forgotten the fear of the Lord. By dismissing such things as hurricane and earthquakes as “strictly natural,” the world seeks to avoid all accountability before the Creator. It is no accident that no people-group is as attacked as the Jews, and no religion is as ridiculed as Christianity. The thing is, other religions exact human vengeance on those they see as their enemies (Christians and Jews), but those who follow the God of the Bible, though they shouldn’t be passive, leave vengeance in God’s hands, just as He said to do. (Romans 12:19) What all these enemies of Christ forget is that God’s power is absolute, and absolutely no one will escape having to stand before Him. It is that awareness that enables the martyrs in such places as Nigeria, killed by Muslims, and India, killed by Hindus, to go to their reward in peace. Things like what Israel is accomplishing against Hamas and Hezbollah might be satisfying in the short term, but ultimately, none of the enemies of God will get away with anything. Israel is entirely justified in their actions, but we aren’t to pin our hopes on such things. The Gospel is seen as sweetness and light, but at the same time we must realize the alternative. Those who reject the Gospel are rejecting, spitting in the face of, their Creator. That’s not a wise thing to do! Fear isn’t the preferred motivation, but there have certainly been plenty of people who have been scared into repentance and faith. If we have no fear of the Lord, He is no more than Santa to us, and Santa cannot save.

I grew up in such an atmosphere of loving God that fearing Him did not come naturally to me. That was not a good thing when it came to avoiding the traps of the devil! However, God has been more than gracious toward me, and I am deeply grateful. I know without the shadow of a doubt that God doesn’t pick on us, that He isn’t capricious, zapping us on a whim, but I have come to a stronger and stronger conviction that our actions have consequences, and I would hate to deal with those apart from the atoning work of Christ on the cross. I have never been a “hellfire and brimstone” preacher, and I don’t intend to become one, but I must not gloss over the consequences of rejecting the Gospel, when I am presenting it to people. In yesterday’s message the Lord had me point out that our ultimate destination is to stand before Him, and our choice is simply whether we will do so with great joy to see our Lord, or with abject terror at the just sentence we are about to receive. I think that gave some people something to think about!

Father, thank You for making salvation possible through Your Son. Thank You for the privilege of communicating that message to others. Help me do it more and more effectively, so that more and more people may indeed repent and believe, for their salvation and Your glory. Thank You. Hallelujah!

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Keeping God Central; October 6, 2024

Posted on October 7, 2024 by jgarrott

Psalm 67:1-2 May God be gracious to us and bless us
    and make his face shine on us—
so that your ways may be known on earth,
    your salvation among all nations.

My first thought, on reading this, was that this is indeed the right motive for asking for blessings. God’s blessings to us should inform the nations of the world of Who and What our God is, the Creator of the universe. My second thought was that this prayer has indeed been answered. God blessed the Jews with Jesus, the promised Messiah, and because of that, the Gospel has indeed gone out to all the nations. That blows my mind! We try to put God and His actions into our own intellectual framework, and it doesn’t work. In line with my second realization from this passage, it hits me that the condition Jesus gave for His return, of the Gospel being preached in all the world, (Matthew 24:14) has indeed been fulfilled, for the most part. The people-groups who have no access to the Gospel are exceedingly few and far between. Right now, the challenge is whether those who have access, such as the Japanese, will actually receive and believe it. For that matter, many in the US, which was explicitly founded on Biblical principles, reject the Gospel. There’s certainly plenty for us to be doing until Christ returns! One of the biggest challenges for all of us, even devout believers, is keeping our thinking and our words and actions in the context of God, recognizing that He is everything and all of our concerns are secondary, if that. Going back to this passage, all the good things we enjoy have meaning only to the degree that we realize and acknowledge that they come from God, and give Him the thanks and praise He deserves. Otherwise, they become traps and snares to us, cutting us off from a right relationship with our Creator. Keeping Him central applies to absolutely every detail of our lives.

This is still a challenge for me, even as long as I have walked with God. Right now I am very emotionally involved in politics, considering the mess in nations around the world at this point. I am also emotionally connected to space exploration, having been interested in it for over 60 years, and I see how politics is interfering with it. I could go on and on listing things I am interested/involved in, but I must approach every one of those in the context of our Creator who made everything. He told me personally that He’s not pleased with a lot of things that are going on in the world, but I know that He’s got the best solution to every issue. I am to approach everything with the question of what God wants to do with it, and trust Him with it whether I see what His plans are or not. When I see things like government flunkies getting in the way of actual relief work after the recent hurricane in the US, for example, I taste the anger of God, I think. However, I’m not to let my emotions control me, but rather let them fuel me to do what God wants of me, which in this case is to pray.

Father, this is a huge issue, encompassing everything in the world! Help me recognize Your plans for me personally, so that I may be faithful in whatever my part might be. Help me indeed feed Your sheep, both those who gather here and those connected by the Internet, so that the Body of Christ may be built up as You desire, for Your glory. Thank You. Praise God!

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