The Joy of Evangelism; September 18, 2025

Posted on September 19, 2025 by jgarrott

Luke 15:10 “In the same way, I tell you, there is rejoicing in the presence of the angels of God over one sinner who repents.”

Jesus told these two parables in response to the Pharisees’ objections to His associating with “unsavory” people, and they are justly famous. I’d like to focus on the joy that is generated when someone repents. American’s tend to focus on the individual, but everyone has a circle of influence, whether they recognize it or not. Some people’s circle is very large, as witness all the people who were impacted, in one way or another, by Charlie Kirk’s assassination. However, even if someone has no human connections, (a virtual impossibility) angels are paying attention. The fact of the matter is, someone repenting of their previous rebellion against God and turning to Him to receive forgiveness and cleansing is a joyful thing, any way you look at it. Every human being is incredibly valuable, so their being rescued from eternal destruction is joyful indeed! This is something we tend to overlook, because we live among so many distractions. However, once you’ve tasted the joy of someone you care about joining the family of God, it’s not something you will forget. Part of the problem is that, frankly, we just don’t care that much about most of the people we encounter. That’s something we need to repent of! We need to ask and allow the Lord to lift us out of our self-centered bubbles so that we can genuinely see, and care about, the people around us. If that happens, one of those people coming to Christ will give us an incredible level of joy that can be had no other way.

I have long insisted that I was not gifted as an evangelist, and I still think that is largely true, but I have discovered the joy of evangelism nonetheless. I have discovered that if I will allow Him to, the Holy Spirit will guide my conversations to spiritual things, with just about anybody. What I have to be careful about is not slipping into preaching! Since my Teacher gifting is so strong, I tend to dump information on people to the point they’re swamped, and running away is a natural reaction to that. The Lord is helping me grow in that area, and just this week He has given me some conversations for which I am deeply grateful. I have also seen indications that one person, about whom I care deeply, may well be about to make a full commitment to Christ. That’s exciting! I truly want to rejoice with the angels over the salvation of many, so I need to keep myself available for however the Lord wants to use me.

Father, thank You indeed for the joy of sharing Your Gospel. Help me do that more and more faithfully, more and more effectively, so that more and more people may be brought into Your family, for their eternal salvation and Your glory. Thank You. Praise God!

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Martyrdom; September 17, 2025

Posted on September 18, 2025 by jgarrott

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

I can’t help but notice the many parallels between Jesus and Charlie Kirk. There is considerable risk in idolizing Charlie, but the points of comparison are still striking. Jesus was attacked physically because his opponents couldn’t win against Him logically, and that was precisely the case with Charlie. In this particular instance, the leader of the synagogue didn’t feel brave enough to attack Jesus directly for healing the woman on the Sabbath, so he essentially attacked the people for coming to Jesus on the Sabbath. Jesus’ response was so clear and logical that those who opposed Him were embarrassed, and that was what they couldn’t forgive. That was precisely why Charlie Kirk was shot. Was that fair? Not at all, but that’s how the devil operates. That’s why Jesus told His disciples, “If the world hates you, keep in mind that it hated me first.” (John 15:18) Charlie was about as blameless a person as you could hope to run into, “doing everything right,” so to speak. That actually added to the hatred for him, because those who disagreed with him couldn’t find a valid angle of attack. Now, the reactions to his death are clearly dividing people into two camps, which is actually helpful, because it shows us who can be trusted. Charlie is a magnificent example of both how to stand up for faith and righteousness, and also what risks we incur when we do so. We aren’t to seek martyrdom, but we aren’t to live in fear of it either. In this particular instance, we are to keep praying for Erika and the children, as well as for the widows and orphans that were left in the very recent massacre in Niger. These things have been happening for 2000 years, and we could well be next. The point is to stay true to Christ, and leave the results up to Him.

I have never been particularly afraid of martyrdom, but then, I’m not sure I’ve done much that would arouse the devil’s forces that much. I have no love of suffering, but death itself holds absolutely no terrors for me. On that score, I can’t help but notice that Charlie was killed in the middle of doing what he did best, and he loved to do, and his death was probably very nearly painless for him. That in no way diminishes the pain and devastation for his wife and children, but it’s something for us to be grateful for. I don’t know how the Lord will take me to Himself, and it’s entirely possible that He will return before my physical death, but the point for me is to be totally committed and obedient to Him, whatever the consequences. Omura has a history of martyrs, people who clung to Jesus more than to life, and I am to follow their example. As Charlie said, I want my legacy to be the courage of my faith, and the resulting faithfulness.

Father, thank You for this reminder. Thank You for how people all over the world seem to be waking up to what’s going on, because of what happened to Charlie. May the number of people genuinely committed to Christ grow exponentially, just as the requests for Turning Point chapters have done, so that as many people as possible may be led from death to life, for Your glory. Thank You. Hallelujah!

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Victory; September 16, 2025

Posted on September 17, 2025 by jgarrott

Luke 10:19 “I have given you authority to trample on snakes and scorpions and to overcome all the power of the enemy; nothing will harm you.”

This is a wonderful, encouraging promise, but it seems to be contradicted by experience. After all, the vast majority of the people Jesus was talking to at the time were martyred! That leaves open the possibility that martyrdom, though on the surface certainly a work of the enemy, is actually an act of God. When you think about the suffering and crucifixion of Jesus Himself, this certainly seems to be a very real possibility. As Paul said, “No, we declare God’s wisdom, a mystery that has been hidden and that God destined for our glory before time began. None of the rulers of this age understood it, for if they had, they would not have crucified the Lord of glory.” (1 Corinthians 2:7-8) Jesus’ suffering was to atone for our sins, and such was an act of God, even though the devil and those serving him rejoiced in it. I am certainly reminded of the recent martyrdom of Charlie Kirk. On the surface, it seems like a pure work of evil, and those involved in perpetrating it certainly deserve the legal punishment they will receive. However, we are already seeing marvelous results from it, with people rising up across the world, saying, “Enough is enough,” and American churches starting to overflow with young people. Several things about that martyrdom have struck me. In the first place, Charlie probably experienced very little pain, other than the initial shock of impact, because he passed out from loss of blood very quickly. In the second place, had he known all God was going to work through this, he would have volunteered. I’m sure countless people have been moved by his statement during an interview just days before, when he said he wanted to be remembered for the courage of his faith. He certainly didn’t expect to be martyred, as you can tell from his genuine surprise at the question, but his love for God was absolutely his first priority, as much as he loved his wife, children, and country. What we can take from Jesus’ words in this verse is that absolutely nothing can touch us that He hasn’t expressly allowed. That doesn’t mean we won’t have trouble, as He famously cautioned us, (John 16:33) but it means that nothing can happen to us that is outside of God’s perfect plan. We, frankly, don’t understand that plan, as Erica Kirk has already said on camera, naturally enough. This is roughest on her and their children, and countless people around the world are in shock because of it. We need to lift up Erica and their children in prayer, but otherwise trust God and pray that all of His purposes for allowing this to happen will be fulfilled, doing massive damage to the works of the devil (1 John 3:8) and bringing many to salvation, for the glory of God.

I am reminded of my first response to the news that my father had graduated to heaven just days after his 64th birthday: “He won’t have to retire.” He too had a very easy passage, going directly from surgical anesthesia to glory, but it was indeed rough on my mother in particular, as well as on us his children. I just had my 77th birthday, which means that God still has work for me to do. My only concern would be for those I will leave behind, to the point that I pray that Cathy will go before I do, as much as I don’t look forward to that. I know that God is truly omnipotent, and His plans are perfect, so I choose to leave everything in His hands, for Him to use me however He knows is best, for the sake of His kingdom and His glory.

Father, thank You for all You are doing in the world. Thank You for how the light gets brighter, even as the dark gets darker. I pray for the people who are rejoicing at Charlie Kirk’s death, that You would bring them to repentance, showing them the state of their souls, so that they too may be saved, coming to a knowledge of the truth. (1 Timothy 2:4) Thank You. Praise God!

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The Message of Salvation; September 15, 2025

Posted on September 16, 2025 by jgarrott

Luke 2:10-11 But the angel said to them, “Do not be afraid. I bring you good news that will cause great joy for all the people. Today in the town of David a Savior has been born to you; he is the Messiah, the Lord.”

Reading this enormously familiar passage, the particular turn of phrase in the Japanese struck me: “I declare great joy.” Prepositions aren’t much of a thing in Japanese, so writing it out the way the English does would get very cumbersome, but it still struck me. It should be great joy to hear that we have a Savior! Sadly, that response isn’t universal. Far too many people don’t want to acknowledge that they need a Savior in the first place. Yesterday’s passage prompted meditation on just what salvation is, but by any definition, pride is the greatest hinderance to people admitting they need salvation. Men in particular are bad about this. One of the surest ways to make a man angry is to persistently offer him help when he’s doing something he thinks he can do on his own. With some things that can even be amusing, but when it comes to saving your soul, it’s tragic! The Jews at the time were under the thumb of the Romans, so they were more than ready for a Savior from Rome, but when Jesus turned out not to be that kind of Savior, many turned against Him. However, the angel’s pronouncement was for all the people, whether they received it or not. Even today, God’s offer of salvation by grace through faith is extended to all mankind, but only a fraction receive it. That is the greatest tragedy. There are many tragedies in the world, just as Jesus warned us there would be, (John 16:33) but they are temporal, and thus momentary on the scale of eternity. Accepting or refusing God’s offer of salvation through Jesus Christ is a matter of eternal consequence, so hearing it should be one of the greatest joys.

I grew up knowing of God’s salvation, so it wasn’t “news” to me. I think that blunted my appreciation of it, but whether that was a factor or not, I certainly descended into pride, even after I committed myself to Christ at seven. Human pride is so stupid! God very graciously led me to repentance, and now I am committed to sharing essentially the same news the angel did: a Savior is available. That’s not an easily understood message in Japan, particularly since Buddhism doesn’t even have the concept of “salvation,” but some indeed do receive the message, and that makes it all worth the effort. I am never to give up, but keep sharing, in all humility, that God loved each of us so much that He sent His Son to die for us, so that by faith in Him we might have eternal life.

Father, thank You for Your salvation. Help me never be satisfied with having received it myself, but always keep sharing with everyone who will listen, so that as many as possible may come from death to life for all eternity, for Your glory. Thank You. Hallelujah!

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Salvation; September 14, 2025

Posted on September 15, 2025 by jgarrott

Luke 1:74-75 “…to rescue us from the hand of our enemies,
    and to enable us to serve him without fear
in holiness and righteousness before him all our days.”

Throughout history mankind has been a bit confused about salvation. We think about being saved from disaster and from enemies, when the bigger salvation is being saved from our own sins. As Walt Kelly had Pogo say, “We have met the enemy, and he is us.” I have long been convinced that the reason God allows difficult circumstances in our lives is to cause us to turn to Him, recognizing that we can’t save ourselves. Temporal salvation is of minor significance, when compared to eternal life! Zechariah here does touch on the purpose of temporal salvation, and that is to enable us to walk with God, serving Him in righteousness and holiness. If God bails us out of a fix, and then we turn around and ignore Him and sin again, what benefit is that? Repentance is indispensable to salvation! It’s like someone being saved from drowning, but then they choose never to learn to swim. God wants growing children! The term is currently terribly politically incorrect, but many, many people are spiritually retarded, way back on the “developmental scale” of where they should be. None of us get there perfectly in this life, as Paul famously noted, (Philippians 3:12-14) but like Paul, we need to be focused on becoming what God created us to be. When that is the case, we will experience His salvation in more ways than we can imagine, culminating in eternal and total salvation before His throne. That is something to look forward to indeed!

Every once in a while we see people who mature spiritually very rapidly, and they are a challenge and an inspiration to us. Charlie Kirk is one such individual. He wasn’t “saved” from the sniper’s bullet, but his life demonstrated that he was saved in innumerable other ways. Yesterday I was moved to watch his wife’s testimony, and she spoke of how he acted as a husband and father, in righteousness and holiness indeed. His public acts were on display, standing for God’s truth on every level, but doing it as Peter instructed, in “gentleness and respect.” (1 Peter 3:15) He was less than half my age, actually younger than I was when we arrived in Omura, but he certainly lived a very full life in the eyes of the Lord, going from salvation to salvation. For however long the Lord keeps me here, I could certainly do worse than to follow his example.

Father, thank You for this reminder. Help me indeed fulfill every purpose for the salvation You have so graciously given me, on every level, for Your glory. Thank You. Praise God!

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Mary’s Faith; September 13, 2025

Posted on September 14, 2025 by jgarrott

Luke 1:45 “Blessed is she who has believed that the Lord would fulfill his promises to her!”

Protestants tend to react to the Catholic veneration of Mary by ignoring her, for the most part, but that too is a mistake. She is a magnificent example and role model of faith, just as her relative Elizabeth recognizes here. She was an illiterate country girl, the sort of person most “movers and shakers” would totally discount, but she was chosen by God to bear His Son, and there could be no higher honor. Her initial response to Gabriel in itself showed she was special, because angels are fearsome beings. That she would respond as she did to being told she would give birth as a virgin boggles the imagination: “I am the Lord’s servant. May your word to me be fulfilled.” (Luke 1:38) I do think that calling her the Mother of God and the Queen of Heaven, and praying to her, are distinctly out of place, but at the same time, she is an absolutely magnificent role model of obedient faith. Sometimes what God does with us is nearly as mysterious as pregnancy with no sex involved, but we need to respond as Mary did, trusting God to be true to Himself and leaving the details up to Him. Frankly, I am reminded of the recent assassination of Charlie Kirk. It is particularly hard on his wife and children, but for him, it was a graduation to glory that probably involved minimal pain, and the long-term fallout from this will change the world. As several people have said, referencing the name of his organization, this looks to be a turning point in Bible-believing people standing up and saying, “Enough is enough.” He would have volunteered to play that role had he known of it ahead of time, and his only hesitation would have been for his wife and children.

I don’t know what God has yet in store for me, but He has given me a vision of Omura again being the foremost Christian city in Japan, and if that’s His vision, it will happen. Humanly speaking, it’s an obvious impossibility, on the order of virgin birth. However, God isn’t limited by human weakness. Like Mary, I need to believe that what God has said to me will certainly be fulfilled, just like Elizabeth said. After 44 years in Omura, I am absolutely convinced it won’t be by my wisdom and strength! However, my God is omniscient and omnipotent, and absolutely nothing is too difficult for Him. (Jeremiah 32:27)

Father, thank You for this reminder. Charlie Kirk reminds me that flowing with Your plans sometimes involves real sacrifices. Help me not hold back from anything You have planned, but keep myself totally available to You for whatever You want to do, for the sake of Your kingdom and Your glory. Thank You. Praise God!

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John the Baptist; September 12, 2025

Posted on September 13, 2025 by jgarrott

Luke 1:16-17 “He will bring back many of the people of Israel to the Lord their God. And he will go on before the Lord, in the spirit and power of Elijah, to turn the hearts of the parents to their children and the disobedient to the wisdom of the righteous—to make ready a people prepared for the Lord.”

The ministry of John the Baptist was doubly prophesied, and then clearly fulfilled. Malachi prophesied it first, in the very last verse of the Old Testament, (Malachi 4:6) and here, Gabriel fleshes out what Malachi said. And then, many of Jesus’ first disciples, and specifically some of the apostles, were first disciples of John, having had their hearts prepared by his ministry. It was certainly a unique ministry, and he was faithful in it to the point of martyrdom. However, even with all of that, John himself had moments when he wondered if he had gotten it right, sending disciples to Jesus to ask if He were indeed the One John had been working to prepare for. (Luke 7:18-20) Even the strongest believers have moments of doubt! However, God’s plans are in His hands, and we can have assurance that He will bring them to pass.

Yesterday I was totally shocked, even in disbelief, to check my email and the top item was President Trump announcing that Charlie Kirk was dead, having been assassinated. For context, how many 31-year-old people have their death announced by the President of the United States? However, Charlie was indeed a unique individual, starting his life work fresh out of high school and quickly developing one of the largest and most important conservative organizations in the country, if not the world. Quite a few people, myself included, felt that he would someday be president, and looked forward to it. The thing is, politics were not what was most important to him, God was. He was a consummate debater, not in the formal pattern of debate contests, but in clear apologetics, and that was what he was doing at the moment he was shot. It seems significant to me that he was shot in the neck. His opponents couldn’t counter the force of his words, so they sought to eliminate his ability to speak them. The thing is, in all the reporting of his activities to this point, one word that stands out is respect. He didn’t put people down for their opinions, even when he was showing forcefully how absurd they were. He was a bit more gentle than John the Baptist! At this point, while I pray for his wife and children, I believe that what the assassin accomplished was to multiply the voices proclaiming the conservative, Biblical principles Charlie Kirk espoused. We are indeed in tumultuous, dangerous times, but God’s plans are certain. Even as we pray for Charlie’s wife and children, we should be assured that he is receiving a very great reward, and we ourselves should be bold in proclaiming the same truths he did.

Father, thank You that I know You, and for the abundant evidence that Charlie Kirk did – does – too. I do pray for his wife and children, and for the thousands of young people who were powerfully impacted by his life and ministry, so that Your rule and reign may be established as Your will is done, for Your glory. Thank You. Hallelujah!

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Joy; September 11, 2025

Posted on September 12, 2025 by jgarrott

Matthew 28:8 So the women hurried away from the tomb, afraid yet filled with joy, and ran to tell his disciples.

The women’s joy here is something Jesus talked about in the Upper Room Discourse. “So with you: now is your time of grief, but I will see you again and you will rejoice, and no one will take away your joy.” (John 16:22) They hadn’t yet seen Jesus, but the angel’s pronouncement was enough to make them believe, and their joy level was incredible. Their fear level is also understandable, because angels are fearsome beings. My wife has seen some, and they are very far from the “cherubs” we see in paintings. We should be glad they are on our side! That said, it’s the joy I want to focus on here. There is a simple (some would say simplistic) song that has meant a great deal to me since childhood. “I serve a risen Savior; He’s in the world today.” When we really get it into our heart and mind that God loved us so much that He sent His Son to die for us, and that Son didn’t stay dead, but rose again to prove that He had provided eternal life for us, nothing in this world will be able to shake our joy. That’s why the Gospel is Good News. When Jesus’ death, burial, and resurrection are no more than a “cultural myth” in our minds, we have little to no protection against the lies of the devil, and no logical foundation for abiding joy. It is when we accept God’s gift of faith (Ephesians 2:8-9) into the core of our being that our joy starts to become what God intends it to be. When we have that faith and joy as a foundation, nothing this world can throw at us can shake us. Jesus warned us that in this world we will have trouble, (John 16:33) but when we are fully grounded in a risen Savior, that’s no big deal.

This is something the Lord has been working into me over the years. I think I was probably in the 6th grade when I asked my mother how I could be sure I was a Christian, and she quoted the chorus of He Lives, the song I mentioned earlier: “You ask me how I know He lives? He lives within my heart.” I was completely satisfied with that, and I have been ever since. When I was in college I attempted suicide through autohypnosis, slowing my breathing and my pulse, as I knew I could do from a previous experience. I had lain down on the floor of an empty room in a church and was well into the sequence, when the Lord told me clearly, “Don’t do that,” and I stopped. The amazing thing to me in retrospect is that I didn’t then go back to active, obedient faith. I was still in a very self-centered bubble! However, it wasn’t long after that that the Lord introduced me to Cathy, to whom I have now been married for over 56 years, and my outlook changed enormously! Since living in Omura I have had someone (not a Christian) introduce friends to be because “he wanted them to meet someone who enjoyed living.” Just yesterday I had a 100-year-old friend comment on my happiness, and the day before that I had a Christian friend say he always liked to meet with me because I gave him joy. Joy is a very blessed way to testify to the reality of Christ! I do get irritated, frustrated, and angry at times, but I need to stay anchored in the joy that is indeed mine in Christ Jesus my Lord.

Father, thank You indeed for the joy of having a risen Savior. Help me share that joy with more and more people, so that they too may know the joy of eternal life, for Your glory. Thank You. Hallelujah!

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Faithfulness; September 10, 2025

Posted on September 11, 2025 by jgarrott

Matthew 25:21 “His master replied, ‘Well done, good and faithful servant! You have been faithful with a few things; I will put you in charge of many things. Come and share your master’s happiness!’”

I have no idea how many times I have quoted this verse, because hearing it said to me by my Lord is my ultimate goal in life. Countless messages have been preached on this parable of Jesus, including by me, but it’s still worth noting the major points. The first is that the Master entrusted things to his servants on equal terms, “to each according to his ability.” God knows what we’re capable of, and He doesn’t give us more than we can handle. It is reported that Mother Theresa said, “I know that God will never give me more than I can handle, but sometimes I wish He didn’t trust me so much.” The second point is that the entrusting was complete; there wasn’t a “big brother” mechanism to breathe down their necks to see if they were behaving themselves. God is aware of everything we do, but He isn’t a task manager, leaving us as robots. Free will is real, whatever it might feel like. The third point is that the reward for faithfulness was equal, regardless of the starting point. The servant who started with two talents got exactly the same commendation as the one who started with five. The point here is not quantity, but the faithfulness itself. And the fourth point is that God rejoices when we are faithful. These men were told to enter into their Master’s joy, not some separate joy. The theme of our readings is The Joy of the Lord. Most of them seem to deal with it as the joy that He gives to us, but here, Jesus is saying that we enter into His joy. We can hardly imagine what that is, because it is qualitatively as well as quantitatively different. After all, our Lord is infinite! All He asks of us is faith and faithfulness, and the faith is a gift from Him. (Ephesians 2:8-9)

I don’t know how long ago it was that I realized that this commendation was my ultimate goal, but it’s been many years. I thankfully have had good examples, starting with my parents, and their parents before them. Those are mighty big shoes to fill, in the faithfulness area! I feel like God over-gifted me in a way, with verbal and mechanical and musical gifting. At least He didn’t add sports on top of that! Looking at all I started with, I sometimes question my level of faithfulness. I have to be satisfied with doing as Paul did: “I care very little if I am judged by you or by any human court; indeed, I do not even judge myself. My conscience is clear, but that does not make me innocent. It is the Lord who judges me.” (1 Corinthians 4:3-4) That said, I’ve also got to remember what he said immediately before that: “Now it is required that those who have been given a trust must prove faithful.” (verse 2) All my life, various things have been easy for me that other people couldn’t do, or did only with difficulty. That led to my being lazy, and that’s certainly not a good thing. I have learned the hard way the truth of the adage, “Use it or lose it.” I was once the concert master of the 25th Infantry Division Band, but I haven’t picked up one of my clarinets in years, and I don’t know what it would sound like if I did. I have a large vocabulary, but I just had to look up how to spell “adage!” I have no idea how I will be judged, but I know my gracious, loving Lord, and I entrust myself to Him.

Father, thank You for this reminder. Faithfulness is really all You ask. May I recognize my own tendency to unfaithfulness and in all humility receive Your grace, that is all I need. I do desire to be faithful to You, for Your glory. Thank You. Praise God!

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Discipleship; September 9, 2025

Posted on September 10, 2025 by jgarrott

Matthew 13:52 He said to them, “Therefore every teacher of the law who has become a disciple in the kingdom of heaven is like the owner of a house who brings out of his storeroom new treasures as well as old.”

I have liked this verse for many years, because my grandfather W. O. Carver’s memoir was published, after his death, under the title, Out of His Treasure, referencing this verse. However, reading it just now in the Japanese, I got a fresh revelation. Imagine my surprise to discover that the latest version of the NIV uses the same terminology: “become a disciple of the Kingdom of Heaven.” Discipleship is far more than scholarship, acquiring information. The kind of person referenced here is rendered in English as “scribe,” or “teacher of the law.” The Japanese simply says, “scholar.” Such people are noted for their head knowledge, but if they don’t put that knowledge into practice, it is essentially meaningless. In a sense, it can be compared to faith, as James describes it: “As the body without the spirit is dead, so faith without deeds is dead.” (James 2:26) I keep coming back to the fact that in Japanese, the word for “disciple” is the same as that for “apprentice,” one who learns by doing. You can watch a craftsman at work and admire his perception and his skill, but until you put your hand to it and attempt it yourself, you can hardly be called an apprentice. Sometimes we have the blessed privilege of human mentors in the faith, and sometimes we can even be those mentors, just as Paul said, “Therefore I urge you to imitate me,” (1 Corinthians 4:16) and “Follow my example, as I follow the example of Christ.” (1 Corinthians 11:1) However, even if we don’t have a human mentor, we can indeed follow the example of Christ, as Paul did. Jesus didn’t hold anything back in His complete obedience to the Father, and neither should we. We are to give our lives totally to Christ, whether it is in a moment, like James the son of Zebedee, or over 90+ years, like his brother John. That is what discipleship is all about. All of that said, what Jesus says in this verse totally settles the question of whether Christian churches should use the Old Testament as well as the New, and the answer is a very emphatic YES. A true disciple/apprentice doesn’t discard the things he learned first, just because he learned more on top of that. If we want to know the Bible, and we certainly should, then we need to read the whole Bible, and not just a few favorite verses.

I had the privilege of being raised in a family of Bible scholars. Not only did my maternal grandfather found the oldest surviving Department of Missions of any Protestant seminary in the world, my father got his Master’s degree in Hebrew and his PhD in Greek, teaching both those languages in a seminary in Japan. I was given a full Bible after my baptism at age 7, and had read it through by the time I was 10. However, I sadly learned that head knowledge doesn’t equal discipleship. The Lord had to deal with my spiritual and intellectual pride when I was 24, showing me how far I was from being a disciple. In the 50+ years since then I have had my ups and downs, but at least I know what my goal is! I do want to know the Bible, inside and out, but I also want to put it into practice fully, not as an academic discipline but as the Word of the Lord. Only then will I be the mentor God wants me to be, able to tell people to imitate me, just as Paul did.

Father, thank You for this reminder. Help me keep learning from You, never thinking I’ve “arrived,” but pressing in for more of Christ just as Paul did, (Philippians 3:13-14) for the blessing of those around me and for Your glory. Thank You. Praise God!

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