God’s Provision; January 5, 2022

Posted on January 10, 2022 by jgarrott

Matthew 15:36 Then he took the seven loaves and the fish, and when he had given thanks, he broke them and gave them to the disciples, and they in turn to the people.

It is of major importance that, as multiple Gospels record, Jesus performed a major miracle of provision twice, and not just once. We get anxious about all sorts of things, but few things do that more thoroughly than not having enough to eat. Jesus had already taught very clearly and explicitly on the subject: “So do not worry, saying, ‘What shall we eat?’ or ‘What shall we drink?’ or ‘What shall we wear?’ For the pagans run after all these things, and your heavenly Father knows that you need them. But seek first his kingdom and his righteousness, and all these things will be given to you as well.” (Matthew 6:31-33) The crowd gathered on this occasion was seeking Jesus ahead of anything else, so Jesus met their physical needs as well. It is also worth noting that both here and in the first instance of miraculous provision of food (Matthew 14:13-21) Jesus gave thanks for the seemingly insufficient supply, before He multiplied it. If we fail to be thankful for what we do have, why would God give us any more? Ingratitude blinds us to what God has already given us in His grace, and it also tends to blind us to what He is wanting to give us. Gratitude is the key to many of the good things in life, and it is entirely up to us. We can choose to be grateful in any circumstances, even if it’s just being grateful that what we’re going through isn’t going to last forever. Such gratitude blunts the pain, spreads the peace, and multiplies the joy. An entitlement mentality is a horrible curse, and it’s currently endemic in much of the world. When we think we deserve all the good things we already have, we not only won’t be grateful for them, we’ll be resentful that we don’t have more. I doubt any of the multitude who were fed on this occasion complained about the lack of vegetables!

I’m thankful that I was raised with an awareness of this principle. Two things stand out in my memory of how my parents raised me in relation to this. The first was that if a food appeared on the table, I had to eat at least some of it. I still don’t like liver, but I love the onions that were cooked with it! As a result I have few strong dislikes when it comes to food, and can enjoy a wide variety of dishes. The other was that we had a firm principle that gifts came from someone, and that person was to be thanked, whatever we thought of the gift. Our Christmas mornings were deeply gratifying as each person opened a gift in turn, and we all took note of who that gift came from. I very early learned that it was more joyful to have someone be delighted with a gift I had chosen for them than it was to receive something myself. Gratitude among people blesses both parties! At this point in my life, if I start taking inventory of all that God has provided for me there’s literally no end to it! I have every reason to be grateful, and I must not let momentary disappointments rob me of the blessings involved with that.

Father, thank You for Your overwhelming provision of everything, from life itself all the way down to such things as tissues to blow my nose. May I be the steward You want me to be of all of that, doing with it what You intend, so that Your purposes may be fulfilled in and through me on Your schedule for Your glory. Thank You. Hallelujah!

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Commitment; January 4, 2022

Posted on January 9, 2022 by jgarrott

Matt 14:14 When Jesus landed and saw a large crowd, he had compassion on them and healed their sick.

Jesus’ level of dedication is shown by far more than what we call Passion Week. Here, He had just heard of His relative John being beheaded in prison, and He wanted some time to Himself. However, when presented with many people in need, He met their needs rather than focusing on Himself. The only time He had to Himself was how­ever long He was on that boat, but that couldn’t have been very long. In contrast, we get upset when our schedules are interfered with and generally focus on ourselves, period. It is indeed important to take care of yourself, and that is an essential part of our stewardship of what God has provided to us, but when our focus is on ourselves we miss a great deal of what God intends for us. Some people take pride in being driven, saying “I’d rather burn out than rust out,” but too often that isn’t out of obedience but rather pride, wanting to see themselves as essential. We aren’t to insist on being used, but we are to hold ourselves available for whatever God wants to do with us, knowing that His rewards are always better than whatever we had dreamed up for ourselves.

I’m in the middle of more training in this area. Yesterday we were able to do some good ministry, but it was a long day and I had my own ideas of how I wanted the evening to go. However, God had other plans, and ministry by electronic means continued. In the process of that, I discovered that I had never taken my phone off of “mute” after the service on Sunday, and so had missed some important communication. And in all of that, it worked out that I will be getting calls this morning, when I am to be involved in various other things. By the time I went to bed I was not in good shape emotionally, and the fault ultimately lay with me and my reactions. I am forever telling people that selfishness/self-centeredness  never leads to genuine happiness, but I get caught up in it myself! I am not to resent calls on my time, but rather give all of my time to God, since He has given it to me in the first place. I am not to be surprised at my mistakes, such as failing to take my phone off of mute, but rejoice to be reminded of my own foolishness and fallibility, so that when I do things right I may remember that I have done so only by the grace of God. I have always delighted in unexpected “divine appointments,” but I need to rejoice also at the ones that feel like impositions in the moment. At the same time, I’m not to neglect myself, physically or emotionally. My father died at 64, and his failure to take time for personal maintenance was a big factor in that. I sometimes wonder how much else he might have done for the Body of Christ had he lived longer. I’m not to skimp on maintenance, but my focus is to be on doing whatever God has for me in that moment, for His glory alone.

Father, thank You for this reminder. As I said to Cathy last night, I don’t like being emotionally fragile. However, that too is pride. Help me recognize, on the deepest level, that I can indeed do nothing apart from Christ Jesus my Lord, (John 15:4) and so stay fully connected, doing Your will on Your schedule for Your glory. Thank You. Praise God!

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Idolatry; January 3, 2022

Posted on January 9, 2022 by jgarrott

Jonah 2:8 Those who cling to worthless idols
forfeit the grace that could be theirs.

This is a very profound and true statement that deserves a lot of thought. Jonah himself was probably thinking of literal idols, statues to be worshiped, but this is actually much broader and deeper than that. An idol can be anything that takes the place of God in your heart. For some that is money, for some it is “science,” (I put that in quotes, because genuine science is not like that) for some it is personal power and prestige, and the list could go on and on. Clinging to anything ahead of God, even your own family or your own life, is ultimately a loss for you. It’s not that God is mean or is an egomaniac, it’s just that our hearts have to be lined up with Him to receive all that He wants to give us. Getting our priorities wrong, as Jonah says, forfeits (the Japanese says “throws away”) the grace that is prepared for and directed toward us. It’s amazing how much trouble we have grasping that important fact. We have made something of a joke of idolatry, calling performers “idols,” and for some people they actually are. Idols that are external to us are relatively easy to identify, but it gets much more complicated when we let things like our own talents and abilities take the place in our hearts of the One who gave them to us. Some people idolize their occupation, and when retirement is forced upon them such people tend to die rather quickly. As I’ve said already, the list can go on and on. The point is that God has to be first in our hearts for us to line up with the flow of His grace and blessings, which are unending if we are positioned to receive them.

I’ve tasted this first hand, letting various things usurp God’s place in my heart from time to time. That never works out well! I will forever be grateful for God showing me my own heart for a brief instant way back in 1972. I felt at the time like it nearly destroyed me, and all I could do was kneel and cry out, “My Lord and my God!” I wish I could say that my priorities have been pristine ever since, but that’s certainly not been the case. I have let my own comfort and pleasure rise above Him more times than I could count, not grasping that I was forfeiting the grace that He had prepared for me. The devil is a very skillful liar, and sadly, my own sinful nature cooperates with him all too readily! It took being swallowed by a whale to bring Jonah to his senses. I don’t want to be that dense!

Father, thank You for Your unending grace toward me. Help me indeed stay lined up with You so that Your grace may flow through me unhindered, for the blessing of many and for Your glory. Thank You. Praise God!

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Cancel Culture; January 2, 2022

Posted on January 8, 2022 by jgarrott

Daniel 6:4 At this, the administrators and the satraps tried to find grounds for charges against Daniel in his conduct of government affairs, but they were unable to do so. They could find no corruption in him, because he was trustworthy and neither corrupt nor negligent.

Politics and politicians haven’t much changed throughout human history. Political assassinations are still attempted with great frequency, and are sadly successful at times. Physical assassination might be slightly less common these days, but character assassination is very much the order of the day, and for exactly the same reasons that have always prevailed: jealousy and personal advantage. The current rage of “cancel culture” is this taken to an extreme, and it is just as evil as it has always been. Since we can’t eliminate the devil and those influenced by him, the best resistance (James 4:7) is precisely what Daniel did: live an exemplary life. To be honest, that is going to enrage our enemies all the more, because it makes them look all the worse by comparison, but it puts us in God’s camp because it is submission to Him, just as James said. It’s interesting to note that the accusations used in character assassination are seldom if ever things the accuser wouldn’t do. Projection is very much the name of the game! That said, great faith, patience, and wisdom are called for in resisting such attacks. Daniel famously did not allow the attacks to deter him from devotion to God, (verse 10) and that is the example we need to follow. Our “den of lions” might not be as literal as his, but it could be as difficult to survive. We need to remember that God hasn’t changed, and just as He rescued Daniel, He can rescue us.

I’ve never been in large-scale politics, but I’ve come under attack in church settings as a pastor. I resigned one church on a point of principle, and one of those against me was profane that he wasn’t able to fire me! I’ve also had “whisper campaigns” that resulted in groups of people leaving the church. I’m never to dismiss criticism out of hand, but submit it to God for Him so show me any validity and need for repentance. At the same time, I am to maintain a thick skin, allowing God’s armor (Ephesians 6:10-18) to deflect the “flaming arrows” that are aimed at me. I am to walk in humility and assurance, which can be a difficult balance at times! Above all I am not to fear, either the devil or those controlled by him, knowing that He who is in me is far greater than he who is in the world. (1 John 4:4)

Father, thank You for this reminder. I have no idea what attacks may come against me in this year, but I know that You are more than able to deal with them. Help me indeed rest, relax, and rejoice in You, continuing to grow as You desire and doing Your will on Your schedule for Your glory. Thank You. Praise God!

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The Light of Hope; January 1, 2022

Posted on January 8, 2022 by jgarrott

Isaiah 60:2-3 See, darkness covers the earth
and thick darkness is over the peoples,
but the Lord rises upon you
and his glory appears over you.
Nations will come to your light,
and kings to the brightness of your dawn.

I’m preaching on verse 1 tomorrow, so it’s logical to write on this right now! Actually, this verse reflects the situation we see all around us. God hasn’t abandoned physical Israel, but this applies most directly to those who have become His people through faith. The world is a dark place indeed, and people are hungry for true light. As Jesus said, some actively avoid it because their deeds are evil, (John 3:19-21) but there are those in every nation, and actually every religious background, who are honestly seeking God. Such people are drawn to the light of the Lord they see in those who are walking with Him. This is the same phenomenon Peter wrote about, saying, “Always be prepared to give an answer to everyone who asks you to give the reason for the hope that you have.” (1 Peter 3:15) We even have the expression, “hope shines brightly.” The world can seem pretty hopeless at times, and that is indeed dark. As is well known, the darker it is, the brighter even a small light seems. We may feel our light is totally insignificant, but for someone in total darkness it will seem almost blinding. I’m tempted to insert tomorrow’s sermon right here! The big point right now, however, is that we are never to despair at the darkness of the world, but rather rejoice at the light that we can see by faith, the light of the glory of God.

This certainly applies to me, because I minister in a nation with a tiny minority of Christians, and courtesy of the Internet, I am very aware of the darkness that is endemic all over the world. Just yester­day I posted a link to Facebook about human trafficking, which is as dark as it gets. That said, last night in our time of prayer to welcome the new year, the Lord gave my wife a vision of Nagasaki at night, and she saw lights appearing all over, one after another. The Lord told her that those were “hidden Christians,” coming out and declaring their faith. Nagasaki of course has the history of Hidden Christians from the time of persecution in the Edo Period, but this was those who, for various reasons, simply were not living out the faith that, deep down, they had. That is an exciting vision to me indeed! I know personally of numbers of people who have expressed a seemingly very genuine faith, and then have fallen away from participation in the Body of Christ. There are many reasons for that, but none are greater than the power of God! I am to look forward to God restoring to the Body many who have fallen away, so that together we may walk in His light and draw in many more, for the salvation of this nation and for His glory.

Father, thank You for this very encouraging Word to start the new year. Thank You for the genuinely blessed fellowship and prayer meeting we had last night. May every one of Your plans for 2022 be fulfilled indeed, on Your schedule for Your glory. Thank You. Hallelujah!

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New Beginnings; December 31, 2021

Posted on January 4, 2022 by jgarrott

Isaiah 43:18-19 “Forget the former things;
do not dwell on the past.
See, I am doing a new thing!
Now it springs up; do you not perceive it?
I am making a way in the desert
and streams in the wasteland.

This is a famous passage that, frankly, I have used multiple times for the reading for New Year’s Eve. That’s because it’s so extremely appropriate for that! Human beings really need occasional resets, new beginnings to recover from the accumulated errors and detritus of the past. The current calendar is quite arbitrary as to when to start a new year. China and Taiwan, while using the Western calendar for business, still maintain what the Japanese call “Old New Year’s” in February, but from an astronomical standpoint the winter solstice, around December 21, would be more logical. The point is that the exact date is relatively unimportant, but the concept of cycles and starting over is quite important. God, as the Creator, is certainly the expert here. Since He is outside of time, a reset is a trivial matter for Him. The study of geophysics reveals that the face of the earth has been very different at different points in its history. As just one example, recent studies have shown that all of North Africa was once a verdant green, with major rivers traversing it. Many years ago I heard a Paul Bunyan joke about how he developed his tree-cutting skills in the Sahara, but that actually isn’t much of a joke. Records show that ancient Egypt used to get a lot of timber from the Sinai Peninsula, which is now a rocky wasteland. We have the Biblical record of the famous “Cedars of Lebanon,” but now they are preserved basically as just an image on their national flag. We take things for granted to our peril. The thing is, none of that is a problem for God. How things have been, or even how things are right now, aren’t really an issue for Him, because He is the Creator. Change is built into His design of the world. It’s been over 20 years since God told me clearly that He isn’t happy with a lot of the way the world is right now. He didn’t say it to me at the time, but that implies that He’s going to change things, and I believe He’s in the process right now. Things are a mess indeed, as they are in the middle of any major remodeling project, but as He said to and through Isaiah, He’s got good things planned, and we are not to be hung up on how things have been, or even how they are at the moment.

This certainly applies to me! After 40 years of ministry here in Omura we still have an average Sunday attendance of around 10. However, good friends who arrived just six months ago and are ministering less than an hour away had over 100 people show up for their Christmas program, with absolutely zero advertising. God is indeed doing new things, and we need to perceive His activity and flow with it. Over a year ago God really impressed my wife with Don Moen’s song, God Will Make a Way, and I translated it into Japanese. That is based on this very passage, and I need to remember it! New beginnings aren’t necessarily easy, particularly when we’re already well past 70, but Moses entered into his ministry at 80, so I’ve got nothing to complain about! I am not to be tied down by my past failures, real or just perceived, but keep my eyes on my Lord, who both never changes and is always new, so that I will be available for whatever He wants to do in and through me, for His glory.

Father, thank You for this reminder. Thank You also for yesterday, that had some very good things to the middle of the afternoon and then had something that made me forget all the good stuff. Help me indeed not be shaken by circumstances, but always look to You and expect good things of You, even rivers in the desert, so that I won’t miss any of what You want to do using me, for Your glory. Thank You. Praise God!

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Knowledge; December 20, 2021

Posted on January 4, 2022 by jgarrott

Jeremiah 33:3 “Call to me and I will answer you and tell you great and unsearchable things you do not know.”

Jeremiah certainly had some unique encounters with God. Here he is a prisoner, as described in detail in the previous chapter, but God speaks to him anyway, just as Paul and many others have had intimate times with their Creator when in physically very difficult circumstances. God begins His remarks to Jeremiah by reminding him of just who He is, as recorded in verse 2. We sometimes forget with Whom we are dealing. The more science discovers about the universe, the more we should be rejoicing that the One who created all of that cares about us individually, marveling at the magnitude of His power and grace. With that established, God issues a challenge to Jeremiah, and through him, to us. Human beings tend to have a thirst for knowledge. That can get us into real trouble, as when Eve and then Adam chose to eat the fruit of the tree of the knowledge of good and evil, rather than obeying God and trusting Him to settle all such matters. Seeking to know more about the universe that God created is not at all a bad thing, but the highest knowledge is of God Himself. Proverbs nails it when it says, “The fear of the Lord is the beginning of wisdom, and knowledge of the Holy One is understanding.” (Proverbs 9:10) As the Lord had already told Jeremiah, “Let him who boasts boast about this: that he understands and knows me, that I am the Lord, who exercises kindness, justice and righteousness on earth, for in these I delight.” (Jeremiah 9:24) With all of that as background, God very graciously says that He wants to tell us things that will blow our minds. Human pride doesn’t want to admit that anything is “unsearchable” by man, but the fact remains that many things fall into that category. The things God tells Jeremiah after this, dealing with extreme destruction and then glorious restoration, were certainly beyond his imagination. The destruction was probably fairly predictable, but the restoration was absolutely miraculous. Since the Holy Spirit has been poured out, He sometimes gives believers what Paul called a “word of knowledge,” (1 Corinthians 12:8) providing information that hasn’t been logically perceived. That’s distinct from prophecy, but is closely related. It’s not something we can demand, and it is not something to be used for selfish ends, but here God is offering it for blessing, to build up believers and advance His kingdom. If we are active in seeking to serve God, we will ask Him for whatever knowledge we need to do His will.

I have experienced the gift of supernatural knowledge a few times, but my wife seems to operate in that area a bit more, looking at people and knowing things about them she couldn’t possibly know apart from God’s grace. That has freaked more than one person out, but we have both experienced it bringing people to repentance. It is never to be taken lightly or to be presumed upon, much less bragged about. I am to keep my focus on knowing God, asking Him to show me whatever I need to know to be fully useful to Him, but not demanding frivolous knowledge. I’ve already got more than enough trivia in my brain! The people saying it to Hosea weren’t sincere, but I need to “press in to know the Lord” (Hosea 6:3) in truth, placing that knowledge above every other, so that I won’t be deceived by pride.

Father, thank You for this reminder. Thank You for the mind You’ve given me, and for making me a “knowledge junkie.” May I indeed keep all of that in perspective, knowing that nothing can compare to knowing You. Thank You for opening Yourself up to me, far more than I could ever deserve or even imagine. May my response be as You desire, accomplishing Your will for Your glory. Thank You. Hallelujah!

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Leaders; December 29, 2021

Posted on January 3, 2022 by jgarrott

Jeremiah 30:21 Their leader will be one of their own;
their ruler will arise from among them.
I will bring him near and he will come close to me,
for who is he who will devote himself
to be close to me?’ declares the Lord.

Leaders are important, as history shows. Things would be very different today had it not been for Churchill, Washington, Lincoln, and many, many others. Many aspire to leadership, and some have it thrust upon them. Numbers of politicians have claimed to be the sort of leader described here, a “man of the people” who is close to God, but few actually fit the description. The rhetorical question at the end of this verse is very telling. The NIV renders it as “Who is he who will devote himself to be close to me?” The Japanese is actually even stronger: “Who is he who will risk his life to draw close to me?” We don’t see many politicians risking their lives to draw close to God! The thing is, there are such people, and we need to ask God to raise them up. Actually, our own pursuit of God should be that intense, and if God chooses to use us, then so be it, for His glory. God does give some people a desire to lead, but if the desire for the position of leadership is primary, that person is actually disqualified. God has to come first! True leaders see the need for leadership and rise to the occasion, not because of wanting to be first but because of a love for God and for the people they lead. Numbers of politicians claim that motivation, but the fact that God expresses it here as a question should make us question such claims. As the saying goes, the proof of the pudding is in the eating. Jesus Himself told us clearly to evaluate people on the basis of the fruit of their lives. (Matthew 7:15-20)

I have had a very ambivalent relationship to leading. I am very aware of the extra responsibility born by leaders, and I haven’t wanted to bear that. At the same time, I have stepped in at times when I have seen a leadership vacuum, with varying results. I don’t consider myself to be a very good leader, because I’m not good at delegation. However, I must not shy away from leading because of that. After all, Moses was very poor at delegation! Thinking about leadership at 73 seems a bit ironic, because I don’t seem to have any ambition left. However, that could be my highest qualification! I am increasingly aware of my own faults and weaknesses, which is actually a good thing, because it forces me to draw closer to God. Whether He chooses to use me in leadership or not, that needs to be my clearest and greatest goal. I don’t feel I’ve been in a place of risking my life to draw close to God, but that needs to be my heart, whatever specific functions God has for me.

Father, this is uncomfortable territory for me. I don’t really want to be a leader! At the same time, I certainly want to lead people closer to You, into the intimate fellowship that I know You desire with Your children. Help me keep my priorities straight, that is, to follow Your priorities for me, so that I will indeed draw closer to You as Your will is done in and through me, for Your glory. Thank You. Praise God!

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The Sabbath; December 28, 2021

Posted on January 3, 2022 by jgarrott

Jeremiah 17:21 This is what the Lord says: Be careful not to carry a load on the Sabbath day or bring it through the gates of Jerusalem.

We have gotten so far away from the concept of a Sabbath that this seems like much to do about nothing. Of course, the technological revolution has greatly changed the concept of labor, so we need to dig down to the root principles here. Actually, it seems very illogical to modern people that the command to keep the Sabbath would be one of the 10 Commandments. Whereas even in Jesus’ day legalism had totally distorted the concept of the Sabbath, causing Him to have to declare, “The Sabbath was made for man, not man for the Sab­bath,” (Mark 2:27) that hardly means it was a meaningless commandment. The Sabbath was commanded, I think, for two reasons. The first is that, as a number of modern studies have shown, people need a regular cycle of rest to maintain health and efficiency. Getting obsessive about that is what made Jesus have to correct the Pharisees repeatedly, “breaking the Sabbath” by doing things like healing people. The other purpose of the Sabbath, in my opinion, is as a counter to greed, to remind us that God is our Source, and not just our own labor. It was actually not so long ago that most stores in America were closed on Sunday, whereas today, Chick-fil-A stands out for maintaining that practice. Companies, which is to say the owners, were motivated by greed to stay open and “catch the weekend traffic,” thus denying their employees the right to rest and/or attend worship services. It took COVID to get a number of national chains to close even on Thanksgiving Day! The Bible has a lot to say about the evils of greed, but suffice to say, it never brings true blessing.

I have long had a very complicated relationship with the Sabbath, because as even Jesus pointed out, those in ministry are often at their most busy on the Sabbath. (Matthew 12:5) In terms of rest, it is very wise for ministers to take the next day off, Monday in most cases, but that can be a difficult pattern to maintain. For most of my time in Omura I have tried not to have school classes on Mondays, expressing to the schools involved that I needed it as a Sabbath, but that’s not to say that I have genuinely rested every Monday. I do think I have mostly avoided “money grubbing” on Sundays, or really most days. Things get complicated for church members in various occupations, and I must be careful not to be legalistic. We have a member who is a caregiver in a nursing facility, and the clients there do not magically take care of themselves one day a week! For that matter, the burdens of parenting don’t go away on Sunday, either! That said, I need to teach the believers that God gave us the Sabbath as a blessing, so that we may in turn bless others.

Father, thank You for this reminder. It’s not something I think about very often, and that’s not good. Help me go by Your plans on every level, so that nothing will hinder Your purposes being accomplished through me, for Your glory. Thank You. Praise God!

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God’s Schedule; December 27, 2021

Posted on December 30, 2021 by jgarrott

Isaiah 51:2 “Look to Abraham, your father,
and to Sarah, who gave you birth.
When I called him he was but one,
and I blessed him and made him many.”

It struck me just now that at the time Abraham died he only had two children, and one of those was not a child of God’s promise. (He did have more by his second wife Keturah, but those don’t figure in the Biblical narrative after Genesis 25:4, though they are mentioned in 1 Chronicles 1:32-33) Isaac in turn only had the twin boys, Jacob and Esau. The multiplication God promised Abraham happened very slowly! Again and again throughout the Bible it is very clear that God’s promises are sure, but His time frame is not the same as ours. That’s why Peter had to write so clearly, “But do not forget this one thing, dear friends: With the Lord a day is like a thousand years, and a thousand years are like a day. The Lord is not slow in keeping his promise, as some understand slowness. He is patient with you, not wanting anyone to perish, but everyone to come to repentance.” (Peter 3:8-9) This keeps coming up in my devotions. You’d think the Lord was trying to teach me something! Psychologists are agreed that tolerance for delayed gratification is a major indicator of emotional maturity, but sometimes it seems like society is steadily becoming less emotionally mature! We are pampered by the pace of technological progress, and we want the latest and greatest NOW! Awesome things are happening, but they aren’t happening at the pace we would like. The James Webb Space Telescope just launched successfully, but it’s 10 years behind schedule and it will be almost a month before those operating it will know whether it is going to operate properly. That’s just one of many examples that could be given. We need to remember that our Creator has said, “I the Lord do not change.” (Malachi 3:6) Unlike human plans and promises, if He said it, that settles it, whether or not we believe it. Many things seem to point to our being in the Last Days, but earnest believers in every era have felt that way, so we aren’t to try to pin God to some timetable of our making. At the same time, we aren’t to dismiss the various signs we are seeing and so fail to be personally ready, available for God to use as He desires.

The thing that struck me hardest about this verse was quite personal. My parents came to Japan as missionaries in 1934 and 35, respectively, and labored faithfully. On at least one occasion my father prostrated himself on the floor and cried out, “God, if I am standing in the way of revival in Japan, then take me out of the way!” As a new missionary in Japan he had visited the famous Shantung Revival in China, and he knew what revival looked like. At the time he didn’t know that God was preparing the Chinese Church to endure the decades of Communist oppression that are still continuing, but God sees the end from the beginning. My parents were good examples of what Hebrews talks about: “These were all commended for their faith, yet none of them received what had been promised. God had planned something better for us so that only together with us would they be made perfect.” (Hebrews 11:39-40) Not long after my wife and I came to Omura 40 years ago the Lord gave us the vision of Omura again being the foremost Christian city in Japan. That hasn’t happened yet! However, just as Abraham didn’t see his multitudes of descendants in the flesh, but only by faith, I too am not to give up in any way, but trust that God will bring about His harvest in His way on His schedule, for His glory.

Father, thank You for this strong reminder. Thank You for the various things You are doing even now in this church. Help me indeed keep my eyes on Jesus and trust You to fulfill all Your promises, on Your schedule for Your glory. Thank You. Hallelujah!

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