Opposition; February 10, 2024

Posted on February 12, 2024 by jgarrott

1 John 3:13 Do not be surprised, my brothers, if the world hates you.

This one little verse jumped out at me as I read just now. It seems to me that many American Christians are shocked at the opposition they are encountering. Those who hold to Biblical principles and lifestyle are called every name in the book, and often encounter legal opposi­tion as well. Those who are shocked are forgetting that Jesus Himself said, “Remember the words I spoke to you: ‘No servant is greater than his master.’ If they persecuted me, they will persecute you also. If they obeyed my teaching, they will obey yours also.” (John 15:20) In 2 Corinthians 4:4 Paul refers to the devil as “the god of this world.” It is the least surprising thing of all that the world system hates everything about the kingdom of God! Recently that has come more out into the open than it has ever been before, in my awareness. Just listening to the pronouncements of the World Economic Forum will turn your stomach! We aren’t to be surprised and we really aren’t to be upset, because opposition from such quarters means that we are on the side of Christ! It can certainly be unpleasant, but as James said, “Consider it pure joy, my brothers, when you face trials of many kinds.” (James 1:2) It seems to me that American Christians in particular act spoiled and entitled, not reacting well either to opposition or to correction. That’s no way to grow as disciples of Jesus Christ! As Paul admonished Timothy, “Endure hardship with us like a good soldier of Christ Jesus.” (2 Timothy 2:3) There is a video on the Internet of an Admiral giving a commencement address, probably at Annapolis, in which he describes the Seal Team training he himself went through. There are Christian believers in various places around the world who go through no less for their faith, and it gives them a deep appreciation for what their faith means. We should do no less ourselves, because as Paul said, “For our light and momentary troubles are achieving for us an eternal glory that far outweighs them all.” (2 Corinthians 4:17)

As I have commented before, I feel like I have suffered very little for my faith, which occasionally gives me pause! The worst I have encountered has been verbal, and I recognize that just reflects the moral and spiritual poverty of the speaker. I am not to accept as enemies those who consider me an enemy, but rather pray for them as Jesus taught in the Sermon on the Mount. I have long loved John 16:33. “I have told you these things, so that in me you may have peace. In this world you will have trouble. But take heart! I have overcome the world.” As a pastor I am to encourage and comfort believers with those words, so that we won’t be worn down by opposition but rather rejoice to be in Christ.

Father, thank You for this reminder. Thank You for the magnificent conference from which we just returned. You are doing wonderful things, but the devil isn’t going to just roll over. May we be emotionally and spiritually prepared, so that opposition will just increase our joy, for Your glory. Thank You. Praise God!

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Pride; February 9, 2024

Posted on February 11, 2024 by jgarrott

2 Peter 1:1 Simon Peter, a servant and apostle of Jesus Christ, to those who through the righteousness of our God and Savior Jesus Christ have received a faith as precious as ours.

I don’t think I’ve ever written on this verse before, which indicates that the Lord is giving me fresh revelation! Peter is one apostle who deeply understood grace. He knew that the righteousness he had was not his own doing, but was from Jesus Christ his Lord. In a way this verse is saying the same thing Paul famously said in Ephesians 2:8-9, because he is saying that our faith is not from our own effort, but from the righteousness of Christ. We so want to take credit for things in some way, but Peter is saying that our saving faith itself is because of Jesus, and not anything we have cooked up. That’s really taking it “down to the bare metal,” as is said in automotive restoration work. Peter’s famous sin was denying he knew Jesus three times during Jesus’ trial, but we know from Galatians 2 that he slipped up at other times too, and those after he had been used and recognized as a major apostle. Peter knew that his righteousness was not his own, but that of Christ our Lord. Pride can be incredibly destructive, but God has a way of dealing with it in each of us, seldom the same in any two individuals but generally very effective. Proud Christians haven’t been paying attention!

As I have written many times, God dealt massively with my pride in 1972, but it has reared up many times since. I’m a total basket case without Christ! The devil is so devious, he works to make me proud of being humble! I laugh to think about it, but it’s no joke. That’s not to say I’m worthless, because Jesus died for me, and that makes me incredibly valuable. Neither am I to deny the gifting that God has placed in me, because I’m to be a steward of those gifts to fulfill the purposes God had in mind when He gave them to me. However, I’ve got to remember, on every level, that it’s all because of God and not because of me. That should crank my gratitude up to 10! This conference has been magnificent, and indications are that we could well see explosive growth in the church from this point. That is all the more reason to be on my guard against pride, because I didn’t engineer any of this. I’ll be the speaker at another conference in less than two weeks. Particularly if God shows up in power, I’ve got to remember that it’s all Him and not me. The better I remember that, the more likely it is to happen! I am to focus on being faithful, listening intently and obeying immediately, so that I may be out of the way for God to do everything, and exactly, that He wants to do for His glory and for the Body of Christ.

Father, thank You indeed for this conference and for all You have done in it, not just in and for me but in and for every participant. I pray that this would mark a genuine inflection point in the life of the Body of Christ in this nation, resulting in strongholds being torn down and multitudes being set free to repent and believe, for their salvation and Your glory. Thank You. Hallelujah!

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Pastors; February 8, 2024

Posted on February 11, 2024 by jgarrott

1 Peter 5:2-3 Be shepherds of God’s flock that is under your care, serving as overseers – not because you must, but because you are willing, as God wants you to be; not greedy for money, but eager to serve; not lording it over those entrusted to you, but being examples to the flock.

It has struck me in these first two days of the conference that, where­as various denominational groups across Japan are bemoaning the lack of pastors in their churches, this group has been talking about starting hundreds and thousands of new congregations. The difference is in the definition of what a pastor is. The vast majority of Christian organizations define the office of pastor largely in terms of formal education, forgetting that there were no Christian seminaries for at least the first two centuries of the Church. When we focus on the human organization, we lose sight of the Body of Christ, the con­gregation of God. The terms translated as “church” in both Hebrew and Greek simply mean assembly, congregation. They indicate the people, not the organization, much less the building. The theme of this conference is “Return to our Roots.” Getting back to God’s definition of His Church is an important part of that. As was pointed out yesterday, we need to remember the purpose of everything we do, and that is the salvation of souls. Planting congregations is admirable, but that isn’t the end goal. Lots of things can be good, but they are no more than tools toward the ultimate purpose. Peter is here addressing the sort of people Paul went around appointing in the groups of people who believed as he traveled from place to place. Some of them were probably not happy with the appointment, as Peter refers to here. Ultimately, every pastor must be chosen and appointed by God, but even those in that situation don’t always enjoy it. It is certainly not something to get puffed up over. Some people indeed twist it into a way to get money or a path to personal power. When that happens, it’s tragic. (Actually, such pastors are probably not chosen by God, but the temptation can be there even for those who are.) Every person in church leadership, on whatever level, must remember that it is God’s church, and they are His servants and the servants of their flock, even as Peter says here.

This discussion gives me a bit of a twinge, because I didn’t really want to be a pastor when I came to Omura. I enjoyed teaching the Bible, and I still do, but the mess of interpersonal relationships didn’t appeal to me. I had experienced that in the US, and I wanted to focus on what I enjoyed! I don’t think I’ve ever viewed ministry as a “money pit,” and I’m not much tempted by personal power, but the whole question of willingness has been an issue at times. At this point in my life I’m faced with the question of succession, since I am 75. The more I look at the growth of the believers in the church, the less I’m worried about that! That drives some people with a more denominational background up the wall, but I know God is in charge, and all I have to do is listen obediently to Him.

Father, thank You for this reminder, and for this conference. Thank You that Marc Estes, the main speaker, was a high school dropout when You got to Him, and now he’s not only the pastor of a large church, he’s the president of a Bible College, with no academic degrees whatsoever to his name! Help me see people, myself included, as You do, and value them and treat them accordingly, for their salvation and Your glory. Thank You. Hallelujah!

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Evangelism; February 7, 2024

Posted on February 10, 2024 by jgarrott

1 Peter 3:15 But in your hearts set apart Christ as Lord. Always be prepared to give an answer to everyone who asks you to give the reason for the hope that you have.

This is a verse I have loved for a long time and have written on many times, but it still echoes in my heart. This is not about evangelistic programs or grand schemes, it’s about living as a genuine disciple of Jesus Christ and all that means. If we are living in love with Jesus, our lives will be different enough that people will notice, and they are likely to ask us about it. The world has much to destroy hope, which makes genuine hope all the more attractive. We aren’t to try to pretend that we have no problems. That is as false as a 3 dollar bill, and that hypocrisy quickly becomes evident to all who know us in the least. It’s also denying Jesus’ statement that in this world we do have problems, period. (John 16:33) However, regardless of our problems, we have hope, and that is what makes us different from those who don’t know Christ. Reading the New Testament I see no sign of “special meetings” and the like to “grow the Church.” The Church indeed grew, but it wasn’t by human design. God’s plan for church growth is for His children to live and act as His children. That will be irresistible to those whose hearts are hungry for life.

This verse struck me this morning because we are at a church conference. The main speaker is a man with a moving testimony who depends on God and not on himself, which is excellent. At the same time, he is the pastor of a large church in America, and that greatly impacts what he says and how he says it. Last night we were challenged to examine how we see God and how we see ourselves, and to dream and pray big. That’s very good, but specific examples he gave of “dreaming and praying big” rang hollow to me, because they tended toward external things, like finances and numbers. I do need to lift my eyes to my omnipotent Creator and understand how much He loves me and that He’s included me in His plans, but at the same time I want to ask Him for His dreams for me, and not cook them up on my own. We have been given a massive vision and I pray for the salvation of the whole nation, but I want it to happen God’s way, and not limit Him by my imagination.

Father, thank You for getting us here safely yesterday, and for all the things that have happened since our arrival. I pray that I would be open and available to You on every level, to hear what You are saying to me here, through sessions or through private conversations, and to be Your instrument in blessing others as well. Thank You. Praise God”

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Freedom; February 6, 2024

Posted on February 10, 2024 by jgarrott

1 Peter 2:16 Live as free men, but do not use your freedom as a cover-up for evil; live as servants of God.

We forget, when reading the Bible, that slavery was an unquestioned part of society in those days. We also forget that slavery had nothing to do with race. As has been pointed out by several people I’ve read recently, the very word, slave, comes from Slav, the people of eastern Europe. Various kinds of slavery existed back then, and indeed, do today, even though today it is illegal. The “free men” in this verse means very simply, not slaves. Thus, the only external human authority would be the government. However, where the NIV says “servants of God” here, the Japanese sticks with the Greek and says “slaves of God.” From verse 18 Peter specifically addresses those who had human masters, but the point is that God is our Master, so we are to live to please Him. Actually, Paul touched on this subject quite a few times. One of the clearest is, “You, my brothers, were called to be free. But do not use your freedom to indulge the flesh; rather, serve one another in love.” (Galatians 5:13) Again he said, “Now the Lord is the Spirit, and where the Spirit of the Lord is, there is freedom.” (2 Corinthians 3:17) The freedom we have in Christ is above and beyond anything this world can control, but we must always exercise it in obedience to the law of love. (Romans 13) Jamie Buckingham was persuaded at one point that he had the freedom to indulge in alcohol, and he did for a while. However, before long he realized that not only did he not need it, other people watching him might well be influenced to drink as well, and they might not have the emotional or even biological ability to limit their drinking to appropriate levels, so he quit. That attitude is being obedient to this verse.

I came to the same conclusion as Jamie pretty early on in my life in regards to alcohol. I seem to be well supplied with the enzyme to break down ethanol, but that’s not the point; my drinking wouldn’t be loving to those around me, so I abstain. However, this principle goes far beyond alcohol. I know someone who at one point in their rebellion against their Christian upbringing threw out everything in the Bible except one verse: “‘Everything is permissible’ – but not everything is beneficial. ‘Everything is permissible’ – but not everything is constructive.” (1 Corinthians 10:23) They have since returned to a fully dedicated Christian life, but they learned the hard way that indulging the flesh is indeed negative. I don’t need to go through the same things to learn that lesson! I have learned that John was spot on: “This is love for God: to obey His commands. And His commands are not burdensome.” (1 John 5:3) Every one of God’s commands are for our benefit, so being His slave is a joyful thing indeed!

Father, thank You for this reminder. Help me indeed live in the freedom of Your Spirit, while fully submitted to You. Human words don’t handle that very well, but I ask You to do it in and through me, for Your glory. Thank You. Praise God!

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Living as Christians; February 5, 2024

Posted on February 6, 2024 by jgarrott

1 Peter 2:12 Live such good lives among the pagans that, though they accuse you of doing wrong, they may see your good deeds and glorify God on the day He visits us.”

How we live makes a difference. In yesterday’s message I talked about how most Christians today live no differently than their unbelieving neighbors, which actually tends to call their faith into doubt. In many places in the world – and now even in parts of America – Christians are accused of all sorts of things. The currently popular accusations in the US are homophobia, transphobia, and racism, with various other pejoratives thrown in for good measure. We should take all that as a badge of honor, actually, because as they say, it shows we are “over the target;” our words and actions are making them uncomfortable. People who are actively rebelling against God have every reason to be uncomfortable! However, we are not to speak and act for the purpose of making them uncomfortable. That would reduce us to their level. We are always to speak the truth in love, whatever the consequences. As this verse says, it is our lifestyle that will validate our words, as they will have to acknowledge when they are confronted by God. (That, incidentally, is what it means by “glorify God on the day He visits us.”) It’s hard to argue with a life well lived!

This is of course the way I need to live. Society in every country puts pressure on us to “go along to get along,” but that is seldom the way of righteousness. I’m not to be different, much less argumentative, just for the sake of being different, but I am to keep Jesus as my standard, and nothing less. I well remember once being in a bar with my employer and being chewed out by another patron because I was drinking a soft drink. He said my not drinking alcohol made him and other drinkers feel bad! I’d say that was his problem. In my over 42 years in this city I’d say I have a pretty solid reputation, and it’s not a bad one, for which I praise God. I have never felt attacked for being a Christian, other than some disapproval for declining to burn incense at Buddhist funerals, so I have had it much easier than many of my brothers and sisters around the world. However, that’s no reason to slough off in my living as a demonstration of the grace and love of God. I am to so live that the people around me will know more of God because of watching me.

Father, it’s an extremely high calling You’ve given us. Help me, help all of the believers here, not back off from that, but live boldly as Your children, demonstrating Your truth for Your glory. Thank You. Hallelujah!

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Holiness; February 4, 2024

Posted on February 5, 2024 by jgarrott

1 Peter 1:14-16 As obedient children, do not conform to the evil desires you had when you lived in ignorance. But just as he who called you is holy, so be holy in all you do; for it is written, “Be holy, because I am holy”

The devil, and because of him human society, is dead set against holiness, to the point that the desire and effort to be holy is seen as somehow perverted. That is of course the opposite of how God created us, but the Bible also says, “Woe to those who call evil good and good evil, who put darkness for light and light for darkness, who put bitter for sweet and sweet for bitter.” (Isaiah 5:20) This isn’t a new phenomenon! We have been deceived into thinking holiness is out of reach, and so isn’t worth the struggle. Historically, “saint” is a term reserved for only very special people, when the New Testament consistently refers to all believers as saints. We are saints by definition! Of course, in our human weakness we can’t live up to that on our own, but as Paul said, “May God himself, the God of peace, sanctify you through and through. May your whole spirit, soul and body be kept blameless at the coming of our Lord Jesus Christ. The one who calls you is faithful and he will do it.” (1 Thessalonians 5:23-24) The point is to not be satisfied with anything less, but repent immediately when the Holy Spirit points out our sins to us, so that we may consistently move toward our role model, Jesus Christ our Savior and Lord. Just yesterday I was seeing articles about the normalization of perversion in society, and it is sickening. We have long had expressions like “goody two-shoes” and others that imply that goodness is unnatural, but that too is a lie of the devil. We are imperfect, but we are created for fellowship with our Creator, which requires that we be holy as He is, just as Peter says here. We need to be grateful that “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) If we are cleansed, that means we are holy!

Of course this applies to me, just as it does to everyone. I could not begin to even calculate how many times I have acted in an unholy manner, and I have had to learn that when God says I’m forgiven, I’m really forgiven. At the same time, I’ve also had to learn that everything God created is good, and when used as God intended, is holy and pure. The devil hates the marital relationship because it is a picture of Christ and the Church (Ephesians 5:25-28), and so does everything he can to misrepresent and disturb the various facets of that. I’ve had almost 55 years of learning the beauty and purity of it, if it is received as God intended. And it’s fun! Just because something is fun doesn’t mean it’s unholy. That’s another frequent lie of the devil. As a pastor I need to be an example of enjoyable holiness, if you will. I don’t have the wisdom to do it on my own, but God can do it through me.

Father, thank You for this reminder. Help me indeed be holy, but not holier-than-thou, down to earth and yet pure, countering the lies of the devil by living out Your truth, for Your glory. Thank You. Praise God!

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The Joy of Salvation; February 3, 2024

Posted on February 4, 2024 by jgarrott

1 Peter 1:8-9 Though you have not seen him, you love him; and even though you do not see him now, you believe in him and are filled with an inexpressible and glorious joy, for you are receiving the goal of your faith, the salvation of your souls.

I’ve not studied Greek myself, but since my wife has, I’m well aware that classes in Biblical Greek almost always start with 1 Peter, because of the excellent Greek used by Silus/Silvanus (depending on the translation), who was Peter’s secretary in writing this letter. (1 Peter 5:12) Even though the actual words are his, I don’t think there’s any doubt that the intent, the actual content, is that of Peter. Peter was one of Jesus’ closest disciples, and I get the impression that he was deeply moved by the faith of those who had not had the privilege of walking with Jesus. That said, he knew that God plays no favorites, and His salvation is indeed available to all who will repent and believe. As he spoke this passage he may have been remembering the scene at the house of Cornelius, when he was privileged to be the first to preach the Gospel to Gentiles. (Acts 10) One thing that strikes me in this is that it says “you are receiving the goal of your faith.” (emphasis added) Our salvation isn’t just limited to heaven, it starts the moment we believe and commit ourselves to Jesus as Lord. The fact that there is always more than however much we might experience here on earth is worth remembering, but we don’t have to wait for our salvation. That seems contradictory for those who are suffering for their faith, because we tend to think of salvation in physical terms, however much we might dress it up in “spiritual” language. That’s actually a problem in evangelism, because people often want to be saved out of their immediate circumstances, but once they are clear of the immediate crisis, they aren’t much interested in living in obedience to Jesus as Lord. A major reason God allows crises in our lives is to show us that we need salvation, but we need to recognize that our need goes far beyond, and is far deeper than, whatever crisis we might be in. That’s a point for every believer to remember! That said, the joy of a personal relationship with our unseen Lord is indeed “inexpressible and glorious,” and should motivate us to want to share it with as many people as will accept it.

I have always liked Peter because he was so thoroughly human. If God could use someone like Peter, then He can use even me! I seek to express the joy of the salvation I am receiving, because I know that will draw people to Christ better than anything else. I have had a non-Christian bring his friends to meet me because he wanted them to “meet someone who really enjoys living.” Sadly, in Japan people tend to think I am like I am because I’m an American, and so don’t think they could ever be like me. That has tended to limit the effectiveness of my evangelism, but I’m never to give up. God can use even me, and nothing is impossible for Him. I am to rejoice in God’s salvation and always be ready to share with anyone who asks about it. Given my proclivities, I also need to be careful not to overwhelm them with too much information at once! However, the Holy Spirit will and does guide my words, and I’m to leave things in His hands.

Father, thank You for the joy of Your salvation. It is indeed beyond words! May I share that joy, that salvation, with more and more people, more and more effectively, growing the Body of Christ as You desire, for Your glory. Thank You. Hallelujah!

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Being Used by God; February 2, 2024

Posted on February 3, 2024 by jgarrott

James 5:17 Elijah was a man just like us. He prayed earnestly that it would not rain, and it did not rain on the land for three and a half years.

The remarkable thing about this verse is the reminder that Elijah was “just like us.” Elijah was one of the greatest of the prophets, right up there with Moses, to the point that he was there on the Mount of Transfiguration with Jesus, (Luke 9:28-36) but at the same time he was just like us. That reality is driven home by the fact that at one point he was suicidally depressed. (1 Kings 19:3-4) We see people in the Bible, in history, even around us today, who seem very great, and we think we could never be like them. When that happens, we are forgetting that their power, their ability, comes from God, and He is just as available to us as to them. The more we focus on ourselves, the less we will accomplish that is of any value. The more we focus on God, the more available we will be for Him to do whatever He likes through us. The danger comes when, after God does do good things through us, we start taking credit for those things ourselves. People will praise us, and we believe them! In a way it is analogous to a musical instrument. By itself, it is silent. If a novice tries it, the result might be no more than noise. If a virtuoso uses it, the results are sublime. The instrument needs to be well made and well tuned, but even a cheap instrument can make beautiful music in the hands of a master. Elijah was mightily used by the Lord, but as James said, he was just as human as we are. The more we focus on our Lord and not ourselves, the more His character will shine through us for His glory.

As I have written many times before, I have struggled with pride all my life. The Lord has been more than gracious toward me, giving me many “natural abilities” and allowing me to exercise them, and I have fallen into the trap of taking credit for them more times than I could count. Jesus’ words are a strong caution to me: “From everyone who has been given much, much will be demanded; and from the one who has been entrusted with much, much more will be asked.” (Luke 12:48) Everything I have, whether it be abilities or insights or material resources, is by the grace of God, and is to be used at His direction and pleasure. I am as human as Elijah, and he was as human as I am. God can use me just as He did Elijah, but that will happen only if my focus is on Him and not on myself.

Father, thank You for this reminder. Thank You for the many ways You have used me, and for Your plans for my future. Help me not push myself forward, but always be available to You for however You want to use me, for Your glory. Thank You. Praise God!

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Practical Faith; February 1, 2024

Posted on February 2, 2024 by jgarrott

James 2:14 What good is it, my brothers, if a man claims to have faith but has no deeds? Can such faith save him?

It was probably this specific verse that caused Martin Luther to dislike this book so strongly, as I mentioned yesterday. The problem was, he didn’t really read the rest of the chapter. Just reading this verse made his brain shut down! To be fair, in those days the Catholic Church was selling “indulgences” as a way to finance St. Peter’s basilica in Rome, essentially teaching that you could buy your way to heaven. That’s so wrong I would hardly know where to begin, contradicting it. However, the flip side is that there are sadly many people who claim to be Christians but whose lives are completely indistinguishable from the non-Christians around them. That’s what James is teaching against here, and it’s a very necessary teaching for modern “Evangelical” Christianity. There is a distinct tendency to say that if you repeat a formula you’re saved. Words are important, but James’ point is that if our “faith” stops at words, it’s not really faith. My seminary-professor grandfather called that kind of thinking “Into bliss and out of blister.” In other words, “Say the magic words and you won’t go to hell.” It is very true that “If you confess with your mouth, ‘Jesus is Lord,’ and believe in your heart that God raised him from the dead, you will be saved.” (Romans 10:9) However, we forget what it meant in those days to confess Jesus, rather than Cae­sar, as Lord: persecution, and even martyrdom. That wasn’t a casual statement! James is addressing somewhat less dire consequences, but they are no less real. Someone has said, “If you were arrested for being a Christian, would there be enough evidence to convict you?” That’s another way of expressing exactly what James is saying here.

I have always liked the Book of James, perhaps because it stepped on my toes so hard! (Maybe I’m a masochist.) I have always 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.” Growing up in a strongly, and genuinely, Christian household, I’ve always known the right words to say. I’ve carried that on in my own household. When my older daughter was questioned by the pastor after she requested baptism as a 2nd grader, he later commented to me that he had never before encountered a child who had such a clear grasp of the fundamentals of salvation. However, I’ve learned from my own life that I can say the right things and do the wrong things, even simultaneously. I have learned the hard way that there is no room for pride in the kingdom of God. Now as a pastor, I seek to guide people into practical faith, so that they may indeed not deceive themselves but walk in the riches of what God has prepared for them in Christ. I could go on for a long time about all that means! At the same time, I’ve got to me a living demonstration of the truths I speak. If my life is inconsistent with my confession, I do more harm than good. However, if I am filled with and yielded to the Holy Spirit, then the light of Christ will shine from me and draw people to salvation.

Father, thank You for this reminder. Thank You for all that You have done in me, and continue to do in me, over the years. May my life be a proclamation of saving faith, so that those who see me may know that it is possible and desire it for themselves, for their salvation and Your glory. Thank You. Praise God!

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