Jesus’ Love; April 23, 2026

Posted on April 24, 2026 by jgarrott

John 13:34-35 “A new command I give you: Love one another. As I have loved you, so you must love one another. 35 By this everyone will know that you are my disciples, if you love one another.”

This is of course a very famous passage. The only trouble is, our definition of love, and our ideas of how to express it. We don’t think sufficiently about how Jesus loved His disciples. This was in no way a squishy, feely-feely sort of thing, but firm and practical, saying the hard things when necessary, but in no way stinting on encouragement and affection. Some churches have this, and some manifestly do not. Some of the churches that talk most about love actually lose sight of Jesus’ love to a tragic degree, excusing and even affirming behaviors that are not only unbiblical, but downright destructive. (Actually, every unbiblical behavior is ultimately destructive, but we tend to ignore that.) The thing is, when Jesus’ love is indeed manifested in a body of believers, it is enormously attractive even to those outside the church. We get tied in knots over methods of evangelism, when the Biblical pattern is simply to speak the truth in love. If we tell people they are headed for hell, however manifestly true that might be, without loving them, we will drive them away and cause them to hate us. However, if we try to love them without letting them know the consequences of rejecting Christ, that is actually not loving at all. On the other hand, “hellfire and brimstone” preaching is effective only in very special circumstances! If we express Jesus’ love to one another within the Church, then the world will indeed take notice, just as Jesus said. And, since being loved is one of the most fundamental human needs, people will be drawn to inquire how they too can be included in this family of love.

I was blessed to be raised in a healthy, loving family, but not everyone has that advantage. Some people are so damaged by their earthly parents that they can’t conceive of a genuinely loving Heavenly Father. I am to recognize that, and seek to be a consistent example of Jesus’ love, even when people don’t recognize it for what it is. I have had successes and failures in that area. Recently, one man was so scarred from his background that he was offended by a mistake of mine to the point that he left the church, and apologies have had no discernable effect. On the other hand, there’s another man who is absolutely captivated by the love he experiences through us, and though he doesn’t feel he understands things sufficiently to be baptized, he doesn’t miss a service. I’m expecting him to confess Jesus as his Lord in fairly short order! As a pastor/teacher, I am to express Christ in every part of my life, and that certainly means love. My own love is definitely not up to the task, so I’ve got to let His love flow through me. If I will do that, then people will indeed be brought to repentance and faith, for their salvation and God’s glory.

Father, thank You for this reminder. Thank You for the various opportunities You have been and are giving us to express Your love on this trip. Thank You for the Indian hotel clerk in Louisville who was so taken by Cathy and me, and that I could give her my card. May she so desire the love she saw in us that she seeks out another pastor who will lead her to You. Thank You that we are safely in Virginia, and for all the love that has already been expressed to us. May we consistently express Your love in return, so that people may be built up and drawn closer to You, for their blessing and Your glory. Thank You. Hallelujah!

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Disciples; April 22, 2026

Posted on April 24, 2026 by jgarrott

John 8:31-31 To the Jews who had believed him, Jesus said, “If you hold to my teaching, you are really my disciples. Then you will know the truth, and the truth will set you free.”

Various discussions are held as to the definition of “a disciple of Jesus Christ,” but Jesus Himself gives us an excellent working definition. Seeing this, we understand that discipleship isn’t a momentary “prayer of commitment,” though such can be very important. Rather, it is a matter of faithfulness over time. The Japanese expression for “abide” is interesting. It sounds very much like the term for “stop,” which is tomaru, but it uses a different character, and is read todomaru. It’s not just a pause, it’s an entering in, and that is important. The first time we read a Bible verse it might sound interesting, but not much more than that. It is when we let it work its way into our mind and heart that the real meaning starts to be manifested in our life. The NIV uses remain instead of abide, but Jesus said something astounding in the Upper Room Discourse: “If you remain in me and my words remain in you, ask whatever you wish, and it will be done for you.” (John 15:7) In other words, a true disciple can ask for whatever they like. The catch, if you want to call it that, is that a true disciple will only want what Jesus wants. When we find ourselves wanting things we have a feeling aren’t God’s will, then we can be sure we have further to go in becoming Jesus’ disciples. If you find yourself lusting after your neighbor’s wife, for example, you can be sure you have a way to go to becoming a true disciple. However, we aren’t to be anxious about all of this. We are to take in the Word daily (which a sadly small percentage of Christians actively do) and let it percolate in our heart and mind. That’s called meditation, but sadly, most people think that applies only to Buddhism or such. And we must remember that thinking alone is never enough; our thinking must provoke us to action. It’s like James said, “Do not merely listen to the word, and so deceive yourselves. Do what it says.” (James 1:22) Just listening isn’t abiding, it’s self-deception.

I have long known that the James verse was written explicitly for me, though it applies to all believers. I have known the Scriptures from infancy, like Timothy, (2 Timothy 3:15) and can hold my own in a theological discussion, but if I’m not living it out, then I’m not a true disciple. I am a pastor/teacher, charged with communicating the Word to others, but if I fail to apply the Word in my own life, I’m not a true disciple of Jesus Christ. I am never to be presumptive, but rather keep pressing in for more of my Lord, allowing His Spirit to fill and use me to do His will for His glory. Only then will I be a true disciple.

Father, thank You for this clear Word. Thank You for how You are indeed using us on this trip. Help us not be distracted by what others think we should be doing, but rather listen to You moment by moment, abiding in You as Your Word abides in us, for Your glory. Thank You. Praise God!

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Progressive Revelation; April 21, 2026

Posted on April 22, 2026 by jgarrott

John 3:12 “I have spoken to you of earthly things and you do not believe; how then will you believe if I speak of heavenly things?”

There is certainly such a thing as progressive revelation. Much knowledge and understanding requires a foundation before it can be received. This is true in just about every field. You can’t understand quadratic equations if you can’t do simple arithmetic, for example. Jesus is simply saying that’s true when it comes to faith as well. That’s why Jesus spent so much time talking about money. If we can’t trust God for something as simple as finances, how are we going to trust Him for things involving eternity? There are many people who try to jump ahead in spiritual things, only to find their belief system falling down like a house of cards, because they haven’t laid the foundation properly. That’s why Jesus said so clearly that we have to do what He says to us, and not just think we believe it. (Matthew 7:24-27) It does no good to build a fancy edifice without a secure foundation. This is what James likewise stressed: “Do not merely listen to the word, and so deceive yourselves. Do what it says.” (James 1:22) When we believe and trust God for the basic things of our life, He opens our hearts to know more and more of His heart about all sorts of things, virtually without limit. That’s why Jesus said twice, “Whoever has will be given more, and they will have an abundance. Whoever does not have, even what they have will be taken from them.” (Matthew 13:12, 25:29) It is only when we accept and apply His Word to us that we are able to receive the deeper, higher things He also wants to teach us.

This is an excellent point that I’m not sure I’ve thought about that much. I certainly encounter it as an obstacle in my own witnessing, because I have such a broad background in the Bible that I have trouble “throttling it back” for people who have no such foundation. At the same time, James 1:22 has long been a very important verse for me, because I’ve had too many times of thinking, or at least feeling, that because I know some truth, that’s the same thing as applying it. That foolishness has gotten me into trouble more times than I could count! I want to believe all the “heavenly things” Jesus mentions here, but to do that I’ve got to believe what He has said about my daily life here enough to actually follow through in obedience.

Father, thank You for this strong reminder. Thank You for all the experiences You’re allowing us to have on this trip. Help us trust You enough to be fully obedient, discerning but not judging those around us, allowing You to use us to touch and bless them. We are certainly seeing that not everyone flows with Your Spirit! Help us to do so, whatever the people around us do or how they respond to us, so that Your purposes may be accomplished as You desire, in us and in them, for Your glory. Thank You. Hallelujah!

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Growing Faith; April 20, 2026

Posted on April 21, 2026 by jgarrott

John 3:2 He came to Jesus at night and said, “Rabbi, we know that you are a teacher who has come from God. For no one could perform the signs you are doing if God were not with him.”

As came out in yesterday’s reading, Jesus’ miracles were to inspire faith, and they obviously did that in Nicodemus. However, he wasn’t yet to the point of accepting that Jesus was the promised Messiah. This was a good start, though, and Jesus was ready to take him further. The next things Jesus said, about being born again and such, rattled his religious framework, and probably made him back off for a while. However, he couldn’t lose his conviction, expressed here, that Jesus came from God, and that conviction gave him the courage to go to Pilate and ask for Jesus’ body after the crucifixion. I’m sure he joined the body of believers very soon after the resurrection, and was quite possibly among the 120 at Pentecost, but he doesn’t appear by name in the Bible after his going to Pilate. The point to me is that faith grows. I don’t know that we would say that he had “saving faith” in the incident recorded here, but he certainly came around to it. We aren’t to be impatient with people, but work with them where they are, trusting God to draw them to Himself and keeping ourselves available to be used in the process.

This certainly brings to mind a man I’ve been working with for several years now. He’s been attending church faithfully since last August, but he hasn’t come to the point of open commitment yet. I think that he himself is aware that he’s going to do that before long! He is drawn more than anything else by the love he sees expressed in the church, among the believers and even to him, though he hasn’t yet expressed faith. God’s love is incredibly attractive! I’m not to rush him, but I am to continue encouraging him to step out in faith and receive Jesus into his heart as Lord. That day will come, and it will mean his eternal salvation, just as Jesus talked about with Nicodemus.

Father, thank You for Your patience with us. Help us be patient with ourselves and with those around us, not using patience as an excuse for inaction, but not insisting that things happen on our desired timetable. Thank You for all You are doing on this trip. Thank You for the time with my siblings yesterday morning, and for the fellowship with the Japanese church in the afternoon. May we flow with Your Spirit each moment, on Your schedule, so that Your purposes may be accomplished for Your glory. Thank You. Praise God!

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Faith; April 19, 2026

Posted on April 20, 2026 by jgarrott

John 2:11 What Jesus did here in Cana of Galilee was the first of the signs through which he revealed his glory; and his disciples believed in him.

Jesus did many miracles for a number of reasons, but they all had two underlying reasons: first, they were to meet a need, and second, they were to inspire faith. In this instance, that John labels the first of His signs, the need might seem trivial. Running out of wine is either poor planning or inadequate finances, or both, and neither of those seem that earth-shaking, and certainly not “spiritual.” However, the issue generated embarrassment, and Jesus was merciful, probably because this met the second criterion of generating faith, specifically in His disciples. They had followed Him because they recognized He spoke God’s truth, but that could be true of any prophet. That Jesus could so casually convert so much water into high quality wine was clearly in a different category, and the disciples responded as Jesus intended. This certainly wasn’t full and perfect faith, as they demonstrated many times in the years following, but it was a real start. We too need to be constantly growing in faith, and we need to recognize God’s hand in the events around us precisely for that purpose. In a sense, you can say that faith generates faith, because when we believe God is at work in the world and in our lives, we recognize more evidence of that all the time. For an atheist, or even an agnostic, things seem to be pure chance, but the eyes of faith will see God’s hand at work all around us.

Having had the huge advantage of being raised in a household of faith, this has come relatively easily for me, and I’m deeply grateful. However, that in no way means that my faith is perfect! I feel I have been given the specific spiritual gift of faith, (1 Corinthians 12:9) but I’ve got to keep exercising it or it will atrophy. My flesh would rather not need faith, wanting everything to be automatic. That’s one reason I so look forward to heaven, because then, as the hymn says, my faith will become sight. However, God in His grace keeps stretching me, requiring me to exercise faith in countless little ways. Sometimes that’s not much fun! However, as Hebrews tells us, the training God puts us through always bears good fruit, so I am to be grateful. (Hebrews 12:11) I am to welcome trials, knowing that God always has my good in mind. (1 Peter 1:6-9 and several more)

Father, thank You for this reminder. Thank You for Your hand in so many aspects of this trip. Thank You also for the frustrations, particularly in the area of electronic communication. We don’t see Your purpose in that yet, so it is particularly pointed in training us in faith. Thank You for all the human interactions we are having, even when those are less than smooth. May we be Your agents to everyone today, however they respond to us, so that Your good plans may be fulfilled, in their lives and ours, for Your glory. Thank You. Hallelujah!

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John; April 18, 2026

Posted on April 19, 2026 by jgarrott

John 1:35-37 The next day John was there again with two of his disciples. When he saw Jesus passing by, he said, “Look, the Lamb of God!” When the two disciples heard him say this, they followed Jesus.

One distinctive of John’s Gospel is that he was one of Jesus’ very first disciples, so he remembered Jesus’ ministry from the get-go. It is also significant that he labels himself as a disciple of John the Baptist. That’s interesting, since he was no more than a teenager at the time. We tend to take people seriously once they reach “legal drinking age,” but average life expectancy was much shorter back then, and people basically had to “hit the ground running,” so to speak. After all a bar mitzva is actually a coming-of-age ceremony. John and Andrew were young, but they were earnest in their pursuit of God. John the Baptist was the most authentic God-teacher they knew of, so they followed him. However, when he proclaimed Jesus to be the Lamb of God, they immediately followed Jesus, showing that their allegiance wasn’t to a person, but to God. That’s how we need to be. Human teachers will always fail us in some way, but God never will. It’s really not surprising that John became something of Jesus’ pet, “the disciple whom Jesus loved,” (John 21:20) when he had this attitude. That attitude was really put to the test, since John is said to be the only one of the original 12 who died a natural death, past 90 according to tradition. He indeed “drank the cup” that Jesus did, along with his brother James, (Matthew 20:22-23) even though James was the first of the 12 to be martyred. (Acts 12:2) We have a lot to learn from John!

John has always been the character in the New Testament that I most wanted to be like (though of course, we are called to be like Jesus). I have long said that James had the easier road, but John impacted far more people through what he wrote, not only his Gospel but also his letters and the book of Revelation. Some scholars have disputed that John wrote all of that, but I think they were just jealous! I will never have that level of influence in the Kingdom, but I can learn from John’s sincere devotion. I want to be as fixated on Jesus as he was, and that can happen only with the help of the Holy Spirit. I can’t be consistent on my own, but the Holy Spirit can do it in and through me. I too want to be an “apostle of love” as John is sometimes called, so that people may experience God’s love through me and be drawn to Him, for their salvation and His glory.

Father, thank You for this reminder. Thank You for the opportunities You give me daily to express Your love. May I do so more and more consistently, so that I may accomplish all that You desire of me, for Your glory. Thank You. Praise God!

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Restoration; April 17, 2026

Posted on April 18, 2026 by jgarrott

Luke 22:32 “But I have prayed for you, Simon, that your faith may not fail. And when you have turned back, strengthen your brothers.”

The story of Peter is of immense importance to every believer, even today. There is no question that he was a deeply flawed individual. Aren’t we all? And he certainly failed horribly – a very common story. However, Jesus, knowing full well that Peter would fail, told him, “When you have turned again, strengthen your brothers.” In all his weakness, he was to be an instrument of strengthening! That to me is amazing, and at the same time incredibly encouraging. It states definitively that God is greater than our weaknesses, however huge those weaknesses might seem to us. When we think about the power of God, we seldom think in terms of our weakness, but that is a mistake. When Peter denied three times that he even knew Jesus, and then turned around and was the spokesman at Pentecost, going on to become what the Catholics consider the first Pope, our failures are pretty insignificant! This is not at all to say that we are to discount, much less excuse, our own failures. Honest repentance is essential. However, as John famously wrote, “If we confess our sins, he is faithful and just and will forgive us our sins and purify us from all unrighteousness.” (1 John 1:9) Peter totally acknowledged and confessed his sin, and God not only forgave him, He restored him to a condition even better than he had been before. That runs us into the issue that Paul brought up: “What shall we say then? Shall we go on sinning so that grace may increase? By no means! We are those who have died to sin; how can we live in it any longer?” (Romans 6:1-2) I’ll say it again: God’s grace is the remedy for, not an excuse for, sin. Restoration is always possible, but only if genuine repentance is there.

I find this enormously comforting, and at the same time a huge caution. I must never discount my own sins or try to excuse them. That’s the human tendency the devil tries his best to encourage. I must be brutally honest about my own sins, and at the same time, rejoice that God’s grace is indeed so absolutely amazing. I also have to apply this to the people around me. They too will fail, and naivete is dangerous indeed. I am not to automatically restore those who have not demonstrated genuine repentance. I am to forgive them, certainly, and seek to be God’s instrument in drawing them into restoration, but my trust is to be in God, not individuals. One particular example from recent years comes to mind. I have forgiven him, but I can’t trust him with responsibility in the church until he demonstrates repentance clearly. God indeed wants to restore him, but that is between him and God, and I’m not to jump the gun.

Father, thank You for this clear Word. This trip I am, and will be, encountering all sorts of people, both from my past and new acquaintances. Help me relate to each one as You would have me to, drawing them to a right relationship with You, for their blessing and Your glory. Thank You. Hallelujah!

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The Cost of Discipleship; April 16, 2026

Posted on April 17, 2026 by jgarrott

Luke 14:27 “And whoever does not carry their cross and follow me cannot be my disciple.”

This is a part of Jesus’ teaching that most Christians like to ignore! Particularly in places like the US, comfort is a very high priority, and people rebel at being asked to sacrifice for their faith. The verse ahead of this, about hating your own family, applies particularly in cultures where you are likely to be disowned for claiming Jesus. We aren’t to be haters, actually, but our devotion must be to Jesus, first and foremost. Sacrifices aren’t to be complained about, but to be grateful for, just as the apostles rejoiced that they were found “worthy to suffer disgrace for the Name.” (Acts 5:41) Disgrace, or at least social disapproval, is very much a possibility, even in the US. If we value the approval of people over the approval of God, we are indeed not fit to be Jesus’ disciples.

My mother, who became a missionary in 1935, said that the only real sacrifice she felt she had made was proximity to family. That’s right in keeping with this passage, and marked her as a genuine disciple. Actually, she gave up a lot, including separation from my father, from the spring of 1941, when she and my oldest sister were sent to the US because of rising tensions, until he was repatriated on a prisoner exchange ship in 1942. I don’t feel that I have given up much of anything, since I get to live and serve in the land of my birth, Japan, and have been blessed with a magnificent wife and admirable children and grandchildren. At issue is the constant pressure to compromise, to take the easy way out instead of walking in full obedience all the time. Right now, I’m doing my devotions in a rather cramped economy seat on a full flight that left at 5 am, but that’s a very minor sacrifice compared to what my brothers and sisters in the Lord are going through in China, for example, not to mention Nigeria. I am not to take anything for granted, but operate in consistent gratitude, praise, and obedience, so that God may be glorified in and through me.

Father, thank You for enabling us to make this trip, and for all You’re allowing us to go through in the process. Help me learn the lessons You have for me and continue to grow as You intend, accomplishing Your purposes on Your schedule for Your glory. Thank You. Praise God!

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Common Sense; April 15, 2026

Posted on April 17, 2026 by jgarrott

Luke 13:17 When he said this, all his opponents were humiliated, but the people were delighted with all the wonderful things he was doing.

It’s amazing how uncommon “common sense” actually is! We get caught in our accustomed thought patterns, conditioned by tradition and habit, and end up ignoring actual logic, without realizing it’s happening. Many of the things Jesus taught seem counter-intuitive, like loving your enemies, but many, like this instance, are simply logic beating out tradition. Things like this made the crowds love Him, but some of His teaching drove them away, like the majority of John chapter 8. The thing is, we are creatures of habit, and that certainly extends to our thought patterns. We need to let God renew and refresh our thought patterns, just as it says in Proverbs. “Trust in the Lord with all your heart and lean not on your own understanding; in all your ways submit to him, and he will make your paths straight.” (Proverbs 3:5-6) The problem is, we often don’t recognize when we are failing to listen to and trust God. It’s not so hard to see and recognize that in those around us, but much more difficult to acknowledge in ourselves. We defend ourselves too hard! We need to start with the awareness that A, everything on this earth is temporary, and B, we don’t have all the answers, only God does. That is frankly not an easy mindset to maintain, but it is certainly the pathway to peace and real success.

I am faced with this constantly, in myself and in those around me. I made some mistakes in our planning for this trip, and they have cost me financially. I also forgot my camera at home, and for someone as involved in photography as I am, that was a huge blow. However, I realize that not having the camera will force me to focus more on the people around me, pun intended. Arriving at our first stop on this trip, I am confronted with multiple failures of technology. To say that is frustrating is an understatement, but again, it is forcing me to be aware of what is ultimately important, and it’s NOT technology or the Internet! I also see people I love hurting themselves and those around them with misplaced priorities, and that is painful to me as well. I need to walk in conscious forgiveness, of myself and of those around me, so that together we may grow into the children God desires, saying and doing His will for the benefit of everyone, and for His glory.

Father thank You for this reminder. It’s sad that I need it so often! Help me indeed be obedient to the Proverbs passage. I’ve liked it most of my life, but I’m still not consistent in carrying it out. Thank You for this lesson in genuine humility. May I indeed listen to You first, and not just as a last resort. May I be an open, effective channel of Your love, grace, and mercy, for the blessing of all and for Your glory. Thank You. Praise God!

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Being Anxious; April 14, 2026

Posted on April 15, 2026 by jgarrott

Luke 12:25-26 “Who of you by worrying can add a single hour to your life[a]? Since you cannot do this very little thing, why do you worry about the rest?”

How extremely timely! My wife and I leave this morning for 22 days of our first trip to the US in 7 years, and the devil is doing his utmost to dump anxiety of various sorts on us. However, this isn’t unique to us; he loves to do it to everyone! That’s why media news reports focus on negatives as much as possible. They are in the eyeball business, and they know that negative items gather more viewers than positive ones. However, this is something believers need to stand against actively. The song from South Pacific, “Cockeyed Optimist,” comes to mind. One line from that seems to summarize news reporting: “I know the human race is falling on its face, and hasn’t very far to go.” That’s the attitude the devil wants us to have! It’s not at all that we are to be “cockeyed” in our optimism. After all, Jesus said very clearly, “In this world you will have trouble.” However, He immediately said, “But be of good courage, for I have overcome the world.” (John 16:33) We are to be clear-eyed, not cockeyed, but optimistic nonetheless, because we know who is Lord, and He controls the final outcome. There will be bumps along the way, and those are seldom fun, but God will not allow anything in the lives of those committed to Him that He cannot and will not use for their benefit, however painful they might be in the moment. (Romans 8:28) We tend to quote Romans 8:28 without really believing it! This is what faith is all about. As Hebrews 11:1 says, “Now faith is confidence in what we hope for and assurance about what we do not see.” We like to see the good stuff God has for us, but when we trust Him for it even when we can’t see it, we grow in faith and are blessed indeed.

As I said, this is truly timely. Things have indeed fallen into place remarkably, even with the bumps, and we need to trust the Lord with every detail. It’s been many years now since He told me to rest, relax, and rejoice in Him. I’m still learning obedience in that area! This is very stressful, but at the very least it’s a huge change of pace for us both, and I think we need that. The church, likewise, needs the experience of carrying the load themselves, without Cathy and me running things. Many, many things have confirmed that our taking this trip is God’s plan, and since that’s the case, we need to kick back and delight in it! There are still many unknowns, and many things we will need to learn along the way, but we need to trust our heavenly Father, that He has it all planned out and that His plans are good indeed. (Jeremiah 29:11)

Father, thank You for this reminder. I do ask for presence of mind as we tie up all the loose ends before we go out the door. Our memory isn’t very good, but Yours is perfect! Help us be Your blessing to everyone we encounter along the way, every step of the way, so that people may be drawn to You and Your name glorified. Thank You. Hallelujah!

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