Truth and Lies; October 17, 2023

Posted on October 18, 2023 by jgarrott

Acts 21:36 The crowd that followed kept shouting, “Away with him!”

The whole story of Paul’s arrest is a perfect example of the reality that you can’t reason with terrorists or mobs. The “Jews from the province of Asia” (verse 27) were upset at Paul’s success in that pro­vince and so manufactured lies to whip up a mob against him, and they were sadly successful at that. We are seeing that sort of thing constantly all around us today, as unscrupulous people of various persuasions use all sorts of lies to whip people up about the subject of their choice. The whole pandemic thing was one example, when governments took a very real, though engineered, disease and used it to control whole populations with assertions that had little to no basis in actual scientific fact. Right now the world is in the middle of a war that the only real basis for it is antisemitism, but horrible suffering is the result. Rational statements are in danger of being drowned out by the uproar, just as they were at Paul’s arrest. Believers, and actually rational people of all stripes, need to step back and consider the bias of whatever “news” sources they have, and not be tricked into mob action. Jesus is the truth, (John 14:6) and God’s truth sets us free, (John 8:32) but the devil is a liar and the father of lies. (John 8:44) The devil is an expert at taking facts out of context and twisting them into lies to control and destroy people. As James said, we’ve got to submit to God and resist the devil. (James 4:7)

I’ve got to be as careful of this as anyone. I too am partial to “confirmation bias.” The problem is, we all like to be right, and so grasp onto things that make us feel our opinions were correct. I have strong opinions about a lot of things, but I’ve got to be humble enough to hear truth that contradicts those opinions. At the same time, I’ve got to remember that rational argument is useless in some situations. I need to speak the truth in love, but not be surprised when the truth produces opposition.

Father, I am really saddened at the way lies take over the narrative so often, but certainly not as much as You are. Help me stand in Your truth, and especially the truth that You are our Creator who loves us so much You sent Your Son to die as our Savior. Help me communicate that truth effectively to as many as will receive it, for their salvation and Your glory. Thank You. Hallelujah!

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Trusting God with the Church; October 16, 2023

Posted on October 17, 2023 by jgarrott

Acts 20:32 “Now I commit you to God and to the word of his grace, which can build you up and give you an inheritance among all those who are sanctified.”

This is why and how Paul could go around doing what he did. He wasn’t depending on man, either himself or the people to whom he ministered, but on God, and specifically on God’s Word. He could do this even though he knew prophetically that “savage wolves” would come in to do all the damage they could. (verses 29-30) We have such trouble trusting God like that! Church history is indeed filled with stories of such “wolves,” and it’s hardly pretty. However, there has always been a remnant that has clung to God and His truth in faithfulness, and that is the Bride of Christ that Revelation talks about. The letters to the churches in Revelation 2-3 point this out, with various kinds of “wolves” mentioned, but the recurring refrain of “He who overcomes” applies to each situation. Jesus words about “In this world you will have trouble” (John 16:33) apply to churches as well as individuals! Individual shepherds are to be on their guard as Paul said, but they aren’t to be anxious. Organizations come and go, but the Body of Christ is His, and His business. We are to be faithful in all we say and do, but know that the final outcome is in God’s hands, and it is glorious.

This couldn’t be more applicable to me! At 75, I and others around me are concerned about my successor in this church, but effective ministers have already gone out from this church, and the believers here are increasingly grounded in the Word. I am to indeed trust God and the Word of His grace, just as Paul did. That doesn’t mean I’m to be lazy or take things for granted, but it does mean that I’m to remember that it ultimately doesn’t depend on me, because it is God’s church, and He who is in me, and us, is greater than he who is in the world. (1 John 4:4)

Father, thank You for this encouraging reminder. World events can certainly be anxiety-producing, and events closer to home can be upsetting as well. Help me indeed rest, relax, and rejoice in You, just as You have told me to do, so that I may be a faithful servant for Your glory. Thank You. Praise God!

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Transparency; October 15, 2023

Posted on October 16, 2023 by jgarrott

Acts 20:20-21 You know that I have not hesitated to preach anything that would be helpful to you but have taught you publicly and from house to house. I have declared to both Jews and Greeks that they must turn to God in repentance and have faith in our Lord Jesus.

Paul had a very public ministry, not because he was trying to be seen so much as because he wasn’t hiding anything. That’s quite a contrast to some today who are very public on media, but behind the scenes get involved in all sorts of things. Not everyone is called to public ministry but everyone is called to be open and honest, transparent in what they say and do so that Christ may be seen through them. As the song says, “Let others see Jesus in you.” What we say sometimes isn’t as important as how we say it, and our lives must always be congruent with our words. The phrase, “Do as I say, not as I do,” is sadly well known, and all too common in actual practice. Any disciple of Jesus Christ is to be the same in public and private, living out the faith they proclaim. We may feel we don’t have much to say, or that we aren’t worth looking at, but as Paul pointed out to the Corinthians, “God chose the foolish things of the world to shame the wise; God chose the weak things of the world to shame the strong. He chose the lowly things of this world and the despised things–and the things that are not–to nullify the things that are, so that no one may boast before him.” (1 Corinthians 1:27-29) If you feel you aren’t much, then good! Let people see that God can use someone who isn’t much to reflect His glory. The point is to be open and honest about it all, not trying to take credit for the good stuff or escape responsibility for our mistakes. The more we are focused on Christ, the less we will be concerned with how people see us.

I have always been something of a compulsive sharer, telling people things about myself when they probably didn’t really care. I’m told that’s not unusual for MKs/TCKs because we can have trouble making real connections with people, and everyone needs to be connected. The problem is that I have sometimes made problems by telling things about other people that they didn’t want shared, and that has occasionally made for broken relationships. I am to be open and transparent, but I’m not to force others to be likewise. I need to remember that people don’t need to see or know me, they need to see and know Jesus, and I’ve got to be out of the way for that to happen. If I will remember that and live that way, then people will be drawn to Christ through me, for their salvation and His glory.

Father, thank You for that reminder. Thank You for last week, when Cathy and I weren’t here for the service, and that we are here today. I pray that I would be fully transparent, not just in the message but in every detail, to that Christ alone may be glorified. Thank You. Praise God!

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Spreading the Gospel; October 14, 2023

Posted on October 15, 2023 by jgarrott

Acts 19:10 This went on for two years, so that all the Jews and Greeks who lived in the province of Asia heard the word of the Lord.

The Japanese uses a slightly different phoneticization of “Asia” here to differentiate from the continent we refer to by that name, but that distinction is artificial, because the name of the continent is actually an expansion of the name of the province referred to here. That said, this is a somewhat jarring statement when we read it today. The area referred to was about the size of a Japanese prefecture, and the population density certainly wasn’t what we see in Japanese urban areas, but this is still a rather remarkable record, considering that all communication was either hand-written or face-to-face. Paul and those with him certainly didn’t talk personally to everyone in the province, so that means those who heard from Paul in turn told others. Frank Laubach was very effective in literacy training in the 20th Century, first in the American South and then in various other countries. His mantra, which was extremely effective, was, “Each one teach one.” In other words, you didn’t have to have a teaching certificate to teach someone else what you had just learned. That is exactly how the Gospel is supposed to spread. We tend to think we have to have all the answers before we try talking to anybody, when that is emphatically not the case. I’m reminded of the statement by the man whom Jesus healed when he had been born blind: “”Whether he is a sinner or not, I don’t know. One thing I do know. I was blind but now I see!” (John 9:25) When believers understand this, nothing can stop the spread of the Gospel.

This is a massive issue here in Japan, because Japanese culture tends to relegate everything to “experts.” That’s no way to spread the Gospel! I am seen as an “expert” for a number of reasons, but I am not personally very effective at evangelism, partly because as a Caucasian I am seen as “other” by most Japanese, so they don’t take what I say as applying to them. Japanese culture is “shame based,” rather than “sin based.” That means that people do things or don’t do them depending on whether it would be embarrassing or not, rather than whether it is empirically right or wrong. Parents tend to discipline their children with, “People will laugh at you,” rather than with “That’s bad.” Japanese are famous for being poor at learning foreign languages, and a big part of that is they hesitate to speak because they don’t want to be embarrassed by getting it wrong. As an English teacher I’ve struggled with that for over 40 years! It is a far more serious issue that Japanese believers seldom if ever share their faith, because of a fear of being rejected or laughed at. I am reminded of Jesus’ words: “If anyone is ashamed of me and my words, the Son of Man will be ashamed of him when he comes in his glory and in the glory of the Father and of the holy angels.” (Luke 9:26) My goal is for every Japanese believer to speak freely of the Lord who saved them!

Father, You’ve given me a goal that is humanly impossible, but that’s just like You! Many years ago You gave us the vision of Omura again being the foremost Christian city in the nation, and that too is humanly impossible. Help me take my eyes off of human weakness, my own or that of the believers, and fix them on You, for whom nothing is impossible, for Your glory. Thank You. Hallelujah!

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Christian Unity; October 13, 2023

Posted on October 14, 2023 by jgarrott

Acts 18:25-26 He had been instructed in the way of the Lord, and he spoke with great fervor and taught about Jesus accurately, though he knew only the baptism of John. He began to speak boldly in the synagogue. When Priscilla and Aquila heard him, they invited him to their home and explained to him the way of God more adequately.

Apollos is a very interesting figure to me. He appears briefly in the narrative, here and in 1 Corinthians 3, but he is obviously an example of someone with Teacher gifting, and I personally think he wrote the letter to the Hebrews, which essentially explains the Old Testament in the light of Christ. However, as this passage makes clear, Teacher gifting doesn’t guarantee complete, or even necessarily accurate, knowledge. This chapter says that what Apollos had known up to this point wasn’t wrong, it was just incomplete, and Priscilla and Aquilla filled him in on the information he was lacking. Many Church divisions have occurred for precisely this reason, and it has often been quite unnecessary. The truth of God is vast, and just because someone doesn’t have the same focus that you do doesn’t mean that they’re your enemy. The Church as a whole needs to pay much more attention to 1 Corinthians 12, where Paul goes into detail about how different parts of the body all need each other, and he expressly says that the Body of Christ is the same way. Apollos was a real help to the Church even before he was instructed about the baptism in the Holy Spirit, and Priscilla and Aquilla were very wise to take him in and not shut him out. Just as the opposing camps in the Israeli government have just formed a unified government in the face of Hamas and Hezbollah, churches need to recognize that other groups are far more on their side than their actual opposition, which is the forces of hell. The spiritual conflict is intensifying, just as the physical conflict is in Israel, and we can’t afford to shut out allies over minor differences. That doesn’t mean we’re to accept blatant violations of Scripture, but things like the style of worship or church government don’t fit in that category.

I have been non-denominational for the past 40 years for precisely this reason. I have more in common with even fringe Christian groups than I do with Buddhists! That’s not to say I swallow their theology, but anyone who believes that Jesus is the Son of God, the only Savior who died and rose again, is my brother or sister, whatever disagreements I might have with them. I could never be a Catholic, for example, but I have some close brothers in the Lord who are, and that doesn’t disturb our fellowship. As the Lord gives opportunity I seek to share my understanding of Scripture with them, and I also seek to learn from them. As C. S. Lewis wrote, one thing we can be sure of is that when we get to heaven we will all discover we were wrong somewhere!

Father, thank You for this reminder. Thank You for my brothers and sisters in Christ of all labels. May Your church indeed grow into the unity that Jesus prayed for before His crucifixion, for our eternal blessing and Your glory. Thank You. Hallelujah!

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Listening to God; October 12, 2023

Posted on October 13, 2023 by jgarrott

Acts 18:9-10 One night the Lord spoke to Paul in a vision: “Do not be afraid; keep on speaking, do not be silent. For I am with you, and no one is going to attack and harm you, because I have many people in this city.”

What an encouraging vision! God speaks to us in all sorts of ways, and the more tuned to Him we are, the better we can recognize them. However, we need to be on our guard, because the devil is also trying to speak to us. Everything God says is going to agree with what He has already said, because as He said to Malachi, “I the Lord do not change.” (Malachi 3:6) This particular vision to Paul is an echo of Psalm 91, for example. We need to be taking in His Word regularly and in quantity, meditating on it and allowing it to seep into the depths of our being, because then we will be secure against any attack. We need to be familiar enough with the Bible that any time we hear something, from whatever source, we will know immediately whether it agrees with the Bible or not. None of us have that down perfectly, so we need to be like the Bereans who came up in the reading two days ago, searching the Scriptures to see if what we are hearing is from the Lord. (Acts 17:11) God knows what we need to hear when, and He is perfectly faithful to speak to us. Sometimes His “speaking schedule” isn’t what we would like, because we tend to want to know things NOW, but He knows what will cause us to grow in faith and obedience, and we have every reason to trust Him completely.

I will never forget the first time I heard the Lord speak to me in what seemed like an audible voice (though I don’t think someone with me would have heard anything). I was praying while I drove, which I do frequently. I don’t remember the particular issue I was concerned about, but I was praying pretty much non-stop, saying, “Lord, guide me! Lord, speak to me.” When I paused for breath, I heard with utmost clarity, “Well then, shut up.” I was caught totally off guard, but I did shut up, and almost immediately started laughing at my own foolishness. To hear God I’ve got to be listening, not rattling! I do tend to talk a lot, and I’ve had to work on my listening skills over the years. I was deeply touched and grateful when one of my daughters told me that she always felt she could say anything to me and I would listen, but I was also quite surprised that she would say that, because I haven’t felt like I was a very good listener. God can indeed do far more that we expect or realize! I do desire to be a good listener, first to God and also to people, and God is working on that, for His glory.

Father, thank You for this reminder. Thank You for the many ways You have changed me over the years, and that You aren’t through with me yet. Right now I need to hear what You want said to the congregation here on Sunday, but I don’t want to limit my listening to “professional” topics. Help me hear You so that I will be obedient to You in every detail, accomplishing Your will on Your schedule for Your glory. Thank You. Praise God!

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Sensitivity in Evangelism; October 11, 2023

Posted on October 12, 2023 by jgarrott

Acts 17:24 “The God who made the world and everything in it is the Lord of heaven and earth and does not live in temples built by hands.”

We aren’t used to thinking of multiple gods by their names, but that is how things were in the 1st Century. If Paul had simply used God’s covenant name of Yahweh, he would probably have been dismissed, besides the fact that as a devout Jew he wouldn’t have used that name freely in any case. He very wisely (and certainly under the inspiration of Holy Spirit) chose to speak of Him as Creator, rather than assigning Him any sort of name, even that of Jesus. This example is further evidence of what came up on the 8th about methods of evangelism. This was the same message, but a very different presentation from what Paul gave in synagogues. We need to have the flexibility Paul did to tailor our presentation to our audience, without doing damage to the content of the Gospel. At the same time, it is worth noting that this magnificent message produced sparse results. Verse 34 mentions that “A few men became followers of Paul and believed.” Not every field where we “sow the seed” is plowed, fertilized, and watered! (Luke 8:4-15) The Athenians were secure in their intellectualism, and that dulled their ears to the Gospel. We see that all around us today, particularly in “institutions of higher learning.” Pride is a powerful barrier to salvation! We are responsible to be faithful to speak and to be wise in tailoring our message, but the response is the responsibility of each person who hears.

This is of course extremely pertinent to me, ministering in Japan. Statistically, Japan has the lowest response rate to the Gospel of any nation or people-group on the planet. Even the word we use to mean God, Kami, is associated with the countless gods of Shinto, which is why the “Creator Translation” of the Bible came out a few years ago to try to get past that. However, Sozo Nushi is twice the number of syllables as Kami, and seems cumbersome and awkward when used often. I do make reference to “the Creator of heaven and earth” in talking to people, just as Paul does here, but particularly in songs, Kami is by far the simpler choice. I’ve got to be sensitive and obedient to Holy Spirit at all times, if my words are to produce the results that God intends.

Father, once again I’m faced with my own lack of wisdom and ability. Thank You for using me in spite of that. I pray that I would be fully available to You at all times, as Paul was, so that Your will may be done in and through me, for Your glory. Thank You. Praise God!

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Berean Believers; October 10, 2023

Posted on October 11, 2023 by jgarrott

Acts 17:11 Now the Bereans were of more noble character than the Thessalonians, for they received the message with great eagerness and examined the Scriptures every day to see if what Paul said was true.

This is a well-known verse, and is the origin of the name of Berea College in Kentucky, half a world away from the Berea mentioned here. The Japanese specifies that it was the Berean Jews who are referred to here, which makes sense, since the Gentiles wouldn’t have had the Old Testament to search it. Regardless of that, their attitude is commended, and rightly so. It is certainly not wrong to confirm from the Bible whether what you are hearing is accurate. It occurs to me, however, that we don’t hear much about the Berean believers anywhere else, other than a brief mention of someone who was from there, in Acts 20:4. The Thessalonians, however, had two letters written to them by Paul included in the New Testament! To me that indicates the level of pastoral care needed in each situation. The Thessalonian believers encountered persecution, as mentioned in this chapter and in the two letters addressed to them, but there’s no indication that was the case particularly in Berea. Rooted in the Bible, they “grew themselves,” so to speak, rather than needing very much attention from Paul and the like. There’s no question which is the easier situation to pastor, but God loves them both, and we are to be faithful in whatever situation we find ourselves. Sometimes we need opposition to test and grow our faith! Even in opposition, however, we are to “Test everything. Hold on to the good,” as Paul wrote to the Thessalonians themselves. (1 Thessalonians 5:21)

I like to think of myself as something of a Berean Christian, but that can devolve into conceit. I sometimes wonder if my faith wouldn’t have more fire if I had endured persecution! I do love the Bible, and am quick to check whether messages I hear agree with it. I have had to learn that just because a particular interpretation is new to me doesn’t necessarily mean it’s not Biblical! I have had a pastor tell me I was “too balanced,” because “a perfectly balanced wheel doesn’t move, and we need to keep moving for the Lord.” I tend to disagree with that! However, I do need to keep moving forward as the Lord directs, so that His kingdom may advance through me.

Father, thank You that You deal with each of us individually. Thank You for all You did through Cathy and me over the past three days at the Japan Cockayne Syndrome Network meeting. Thank You for the privilege of being a channel of Your love to the children and their parents. Thank You for speaking through me, both in the formal memorial service and in many private conversations. Thank You that we’re back into our “normal” lifestyle again! I pray that I would be able to catch up on all the things that are waiting for me here, and be Your agent in everything I am involved in, for Your glory. Thank You. Praise God!

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God’s Promises; October 9, 2023

Posted on October 11, 2023 by jgarrott

Acts 16:34 The jailer brought them into his house and set a meal before them; he was filled with joy because he had come to believe in God — he and his whole family.

This story has many memorable verses, most notably verses 30 and 31, but particularly in reference to those, this verse must not be overlooked. “Believe in the Lord Jesus, and you will be saved – you and your household” (verse 31) is a glorious promise, but it doesn’t exempt anyone in the household from the need to repent and believe. I have seen people cling to verse 31, both in the US and Japan, without doing anything particular to help those in their household believe for themselves. That’s changing a Biblical promise into a good luck charm. We can’t force anyone to believe, but we can pray consistently for them and give them all the information necessary to believe, most especially by the testimony of our changed lives. Just yesterday we were with a couple who illustrate this principle beautifully. The wife was raised in a Christian home and had been a Christian for many years, but they had been married for over 30 years before the husband, to the great shock of his wife, suddenly believed and was transformed. He verbally indicates that it was because of my impact on him, but I think his wife had largely given up on him years before. At this point they are praying for their grown daughter to become a Christian, but the Lord spoke through me yesterday to tell the wife to challenge her daughter to commit herself to Christ, since she has seen what that did to her father. Witnessing to family members is difficult, since they see all our faults as well as our strong points, but that in itself is part of our testimony: God saves those who need it! After all, Jesus said, “I have not come to call the righteous, but sinners to repentance.” (Luke 5:32) We are to rejoice in God’s promises, but not overlook the conditions that attach to them.

I couldn’t begin to count how many people I have run into who have clung to verse 31 while overlooking their part in its fulfillment. It really is rather tragic. I rejoice that my closest family are believers, but there are others a little further out who haven’t made the commitment. I am limited in my impact because of physical distance, but that is no obstacle to prayer, and I’m certainly to keep that up. I grew up in a family of faith and I know the huge blessing that is, so I am to “keep up the pressure,” spiritually speaking, so that others may enjoy that blessing as well.

Father, thank You for the joy and privilege of participating in Your plan of salvation for others. May I be consistent in my witness, in actions as well as words, so that as many as possible may be brought from death to life, from darkness to light, for their salvation and Your glory. Thank You. Hallelujah!

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Methods of Evangelism; October 8, 2023

Posted on October 10, 2023 by jgarrott

Acts 16:13 On the Sabbath we went outside the city gate to the river, where we expected to find a place of prayer. We sat down and began to speak to the women who had gathered there.

This is a significant verse in that it tells what Paul and crew did when there was no synagogue from which to start their ministry. They were apparently familiar enough with the local culture to know where to find religious-minded people, and they hit the nail on the head. Looking for religious people of a different religion has a much better chance of success in evangelism than the general population, even though it also has a higher chance of active opposition. Dr. Cal Guy, one of my seminary professors, always said that opposition was easier to overcome than indifference. They also had the flexibility to speak to the women they found, despite the risk of being thought to be “hitting on” them. Such social mores are different in different cultures and can be important, but in a sense, risk is the name of the game. We let all sorts of things deter us from sharing Christ, but the fundamental rule is, share! Failing to speak gets us nowhere. Research into culture, getting advice, and various techniques and programs can be helpful, but it all boils down to getting in there and doing it. Today in the US, “offense” is the name of the game, but we’ve got to remember that in most cases, being offended is that person’s choice. We need to remember that what we have to share means the difference between eternal life and eternal death for that person, and love them enough to make the effort. That doesn’t mean we’re to be obnoxious, but it very much means that we’ve got to take our eyes off of ourselves and our “comfort level” and care more about the person we’re speaking to than about the possibility we will be rejected.

I’m very much talking to myself here. I don’t feel I am gifted in evangelism, and indeed, people with Teacher gifting seldom are, so it takes a conscious choice on my part to get started. However, I need to remember that the proof I had that God had baptized me in His Spirit was that I started talking to a total stranger about Jesus, and so seek and follow Holy Spirit’s guidance in every encounter. I delight when He gives me “divine appointments” to share Christ, and I need to be looking out for them constantly. I particularly need to keep my eyes off of myself, and have a happy anticipation of whatever God wants to do through me.

Father, thank You for this reminder. I’m at a conference where I have plenty of opportunity to express Your love, but opportunities to explicitly share the Gospel have to be seized. Help me not be needlessly offensive, but share Christ in whatever ways You desire and make possible, so that more and more people, even in this network, may repent and believe for their salvation, for Your glory. Thank You. Hallelujah!

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