Righteousness and Peace; November 2, 2020

Posted on November 4, 2020 by jgarrott

Romans 5:20-21 The law was added so that the trespass might increase. But where sin increased, grace increased all the more, so that, just as sin reigned in death, so also grace might reign through righteousness to bring eternal life through Jesus Christ our Lord.

Paul’s logic in this whole passage seems a bit convoluted at times, but the upshot is that Jesus broke us out of the whole cycle of sin and death by taking sin and death on Himself to give us the gift of righteousness (the exact phrase in the Japanese) leading us to eternal life. There have been a lot of theological arguments over just what Paul meant by “The law was added so that the trespass might increase.” My take is that human beings do stupid things even when there are no rules against them, but when rules are in place to protect us from our stupidity, we turn around and want to do those things! Adam and Eve had exactly one prohibition, and they turned around and violated it. The term, prohibition, is closely associated in America with the only constitutional amendment to be passed and then repealed, the 18th, which prohibited the manufacture and sale of alcoholic beverages. It lasted only 13 years, and in the process significantly increased alcohol consumption in the US. A Wikipedia article states that prior to Prohibition, bars were almost exclusively for men, but after it was repealed, women flocked to bars as well. That’s the result of trying to legislate righteousness. Ultimately, the only real answer is the gift of righteousness by faith. After all, a person can be completely sober and still be headed for hell! This hardly means that laws are meaningless, but it certainly means that they aren’t the ultimate answer.

Just yesterday the Lord reminded me of His ultimate answer, bringing the song, The King is Coming, to my mind, and that was a blessing indeed. However, I’ve still got to live through the daily slog, so to speak, until that time or until He calls me home. I need to remember that God set His salvation into motion at Calvary, and absolutely nothing can stop it. I need to be intentional in receiving His gift of righteousness, living it out in obedience to Him. If I will do that, He will use me to draw others to repentance and faith as well, so that they too may receive the gift of righteousness for eternal life. If I will focus on obedience and availability, generated by faith and love, He will take care of everything else, and I have absolutely nothing to be anxious about.

Father, You know about the devil’s attacks on my peace better than I do. Help me stay focused on Christ indeed, so that what You spoke through Isaiah may be fulfilled in me: “You will keep in perfect peace him whose mind is steadfast, because he trusts in you.” (Isaiah 26:3) Thank You. Praise God!

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Joy!; November 1, 2020

Posted on November 4, 2020 by jgarrott

Romans 5:1-4 Therefore, since we have been justified through faith, we have peace with God through our Lord Jesus Christ, through whom we have gained access by faith into this grace in which we now stand. And we rejoice in the hope of the glory of God. Not only so, but we also rejoice in our sufferings, because we know that suffering produces perseverance; perseverance, character; and character, hope.

his whole passage through verse 11 is so glorious that Paul can barely contain himself as he writes. Joy just explodes from him! The fact that Jesus’ death and resurrection, expressed in the last verse of chapter 4, purchased for us peace with God, no longer shackled by the guilt of our past sins, is more than Paul can express with mere words. It puts everything into a context that enables us to rejoice even in suffering! I think the reason we so seldom walk in the fullness of the joy expressed here is that we fail to realize that our sins have earned eternal destruction for us, and so we discount the grace of God. The devil does all he can to distract us from the glorious reality expressed here, because as Jesus said, he is only out to steal, kill, and destroy. (John 10:10) He hates it when we rejoice in God’s salvation, so he seeks to steal our joy by distracting us from it. When we are fully focused on God and what He has done for us in Christ Jesus, nothing can shake our joy and peace. That’s how martyrs, from Stephen on, (Acts 7:54-60) can go to their reward rejoicing. We aren’t being stoned, but we grouse and complain. How foolish! God invites us to receive His peace and joy, but we can do so only by faith, because this world certainly isn’t going to generate it!

I think I have a better grasp on this than many, but I still allow myself to be distracted far too often. Just yesterday, in our weekly Internet video meeting, my daughters, my wife and I were talking about worry, and how it differentiates from caring deeply, and from anxiety. Current events can and do generate all those things in me, and I’ve got to do what I tell others to do all the time, which is to place my focus on Christ, above and before everything else. (Hebrews 12:2) Only if I do that will I be able to maintain the peace and joy that God intends for me. Whatever happens, about the election or anything else, God will still be God and His salvation will still be available for all who will repent and believe. As He told me personally, He’s not pleased at the way people spit in His face and damage themselves and others, but what we see around us isn’t the final answer. Just a few minutes ago, as I was typing these notes, the Lord brought to my mind the song, The King is Coming. Letting it play through my mind, I wept tears of joy, because it is an absolutely true song, and I must not forget it. Satan is indeed frantic, because he knows his days are short. (Revelation 12:12) I am not to let him distract me, but rather rest, relax, and rejoice in my God, just as He has told me to do.

Father, thank You for this glorious reminder. Thank You for all You are doing, both around me and in me. Help me welcome Your hand and not resist, allowing You to do in and through me all that You desire, for Your glory. Thank You. Hallelujah!

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The Faith of Abraham; October 31, 2020

Posted on November 1, 2020 by jgarrott

Romans 4:16 Therefore, the promise comes by faith, so that it may be by grace and may be guaranteed to all Abraham’s offspring–not only to those who are of the law but also to those who are of the faith of Abraham. He is the father of us all.

Clear translation often requires looking at large chunks of content at one time, because different grammar requires different word order. Here, the Japanese pulls the quote that the NIV puts in verse 17, “I have made you a father of many nations,” into verse 16, ahead of the statement that “He is the father of us all,” in order for that statement to be understandable. One of my biggest frustrations in interpreting between Japanese and English is speakers who say a sentence fragment and expect that to be interpreted before they complete the sentence, which leaves me completely up in the air. They probably think they are being kind, not taxing my memory, but they don’t understand the differences between languages. That’s why interpreting for myself is much easier, since I know what I’m actually saying! It is also interesting that the Japanese translation I use inserts the detail that the promise mentioned here is that of inheriting the world, since Japanese readers wouldn’t be likely to have a firm grasp on that. All such things aside, this is an enormously important passage, both for Jews and for Gentiles. The Jews are naturally very proud of their descent from Abraham, with all the promises of God to him, but this states that those promises are rooted in faith and are by grace, and not simply automatic. The flip side of that is that those who have the faith of Abraham receive the promises equally with the physical descendants, and that was and is earth shattering for Jews. Stating it brought Paul a great deal of persecution, including the imprisonment that sent him to Rome. It is all part of the paradox that God is simultaneously both strictly exclusive and totally inclusive. I have had people attack me for saying that Jesus is the only way of salvation, (John 14:6, Acts 4:12) but Jesus died for the sins of all mankind, so that anyone at all may be saved. (John 3:16) We don’t deal with that paradox very well! I think that’s a major reason why people don’t evangelize, because they don’t realize that God loves the next guy as much as He does them, but if that next guy doesn’t believe, and acknowledge Jesus as Lord, he’s headed for eternity in hell. God’s promises are eternal and are open to all, but we have to believe to receive.

I deal with this constantly, trying to communicate the Gospel in Japan. My impression is that American Gentiles, even, seem to think that they are “in line for” God’s promises, since the Bible is part of American culture, but that isn’t the case in Japan. I need to communicate the reality that it is miraculous that anyone can be saved, since “all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God.” (Romans 3:23) The twin problems are in getting people to acknowledge that they are indeed sinners, and then in persuading them to believe that God has truly provided salvation, free of charge for those who will receive it by faith. That’s a far stretch, particularly in Japan where “sin” is conflated with “crime,” so in a sense I’m asking people to say that they are criminals. Actually, by God’s laws that’s exactly what we are! I can’t do that my be own intellect and powers of persuasion, but the Holy Spirit can, even using me. I’m not to give up because of the magnitude of the task, but rather praise God that He can and does do such an impossible thing, even using me at times.

Father, thank You for this powerful reminder. Help me indeed never give up, but rather keep proclaiming Your Gospel, offering myself and my words for Your use to draw people to Yourself, for their salvation and Your glory. Thank You. Praise God!

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God’s Grace; October 30, 2020

Posted on November 1, 2020 by jgarrott

Romans 4:4-5 Now when a man works, his wages are not credited to him as a gift, but as an obligation. However, to the man who does not work but trusts God who justifies the wicked, his faith is credited as righteousness.

Language can be tricky, which is why a translator’s job is so demanding. Where the NIV says “gift,” the Japanese says “grace.” The underlying thoughts are the same, that is, “something not earned,” but the the nuance isn’t, necessarily. The underlying Greek is, I’m sure, charis, which is listed in lexicons as “grace,” or “grace gift.” It all comes back to the reality that we have a hard time with grace, either wanting to earn everything for ourselves or being totally passive. Neither is appropriate. That’s why Paul follows up his definitive statement on salvation by grace through faith with, “For we are God’s workmanship, created in Christ Jesus to do good works, which God prepared in advance for us to do.” (Ephesians 2:10) All this talk of not working doesn’t mean we are to be idle, much less lazy. Likewise, it doesn’t mean that what we do in obedience to God won’t be rewarded. As it says in Hebrews, “So do not throw away your confidence; it will be richly rewarded. You need to persevere so that when you have done the will of God, you will receive what he has promised.” (Hebrews 10:35-36) We get all confused, thinking either that we have to work to earn God’s acceptance, or that what we do simply doesn’t matter, and neither is true. I think it comes back to failing to understand God’s character, and that is often linked to our physical father. A father should love his children because they are his children, period, but at the same time discipline them and reward them appropriately for their actions. That is one place where I disagree with Dennis Prager, who says that we have to earn love. He has a point, up to a point, but he doesn’t really grasp grace.

I had the huge blessing of being raised by parents who practiced, even exemplified, the grace of God. I think as a result, I certainly wasn’t “the perfect child,” but I didn’t go so far “off the rails,” so to speak. The thing is, I knew that no matter what I did my parents would love me, which made me not want to hurt or disappoint them. I agree that sometimes people’s misbehavior, especially as children but sometimes as adults, is crying out, “Do you really love me?” The appropriate response, which we need to learn from God, is appropriate discipline coupled with assurance of love. In my opinion, a “time out” is a more cruel punishment than a well-placed whack, because it in a sense denies love, placing space, a barrier, between the child and the parent. In Jesus’ famous parable of the Prodigal Son, (Luke 15) all the son needed to do was acknowledge his wrong and return to the father. That is a perfect illustration of God’s grace. As a pastor, I need to help people understand that they can never do anything that would make God not love them, but they can certainly do things that cut them off from receiving that love. I need to help them grasp the reality, the magnitude, of God’s love and grace, so that they may respond with total gratitude and obedience to Him.

Father, I’m still growing in this myself. Thank You for using imperfect vessels! Help me be an open, effective channel of Your grace on every level, so that as many as will may receive that grace in repentance and faith, for their salvation and Your glory. Thank You. Hallelujah!

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Apostles; October 29, 2020

Posted on October 31, 2020 by jgarrott

Romans 1:5 Through him and for his name’s sake, we received grace and apostleship to call people from among all the Gentiles to the obedience that comes from faith.

Reading the Bible in different languages has a number of advantages, most particularly that it makes us look at things from different angles, rather than getting caught in a mental rut. (Reading different English translations can help there as well, but I think not quite as much.) The first thing that struck me just now is that where the NIV says “apostleship,” the Japanese says, “the job of apostle.” To me this drives home what is written elsewhere about functions in the Church being assigned by God. “Apostle” isn’t just a title, it’s a job description. My understanding is that the Greek word indicates a representative, someone designated to act in the name and authority of another. That’s not at all something you could claim for yourself, if it weren’t assigned by the one with the authority. I am saddened by people who stick “Apostle” in front of their name on their business card and demand, rather than earn, deference and respect. Here, Paul expresses the purpose of his being designated a representative of Christ: to call people to the obedience of faith. This isn’t a difference between the Japanese and the English, but it’s important to note that genuine faith in Christ will generate obedience to Him. There are sadly many people who claim to believe in Him, and perhaps expect to go to heaven on that basis, but who live their lives in total disregard for what He has said to do. We forget that the Great Commission includes the words, “teaching them to obey everything I have commanded you.” (Matthew 28:20) “Believe, and live as you please,” is a terrible distortion of the Gospel. Islam is a terrible distortion of the character of God, but it’s worth noting that the word itself means “submission.” Just as he does with everything else that is good, the devil twists “the obedience of faith” into a religion that has enslaved countless people over the centuries. When you believe in God who is both all-powerful and so loving that He sent His Son to die in our place, then you want to obey Him, as perfectly and as fully as He will enable you to do so. This is the faith to which we are called.

This is very close to home, because the closest modern English equivalent to “apostle” is “missionary.” Growing up in a missionary family, I was aware that my father carried authority that others didn’t have. He certainly didn’t wave it around, but it was widely recognized, even among other missionaries. He was constantly being asked to be on the board of this that or the other, and I think that contributed to the heart condition that took him at age 64. I too am a missionary, though I have no “sending body.” Back when we were in negotiations with the Baptist mission board my wife expressed clearly that we’d rather be “Lord sent” than “board sent,” and I agree completely. I do not rank myself with my father, but I do recognize that the Lord has given me authority and responsibility. Those two can never be separated! Though the church here is small, I find that when I meet with other believers and even church leaders, my words are respected and even anticipated. That is humbling. I too must exercise the obedience of faith, striving to please the One who has sent me, for His glory alone.

Father, thank You for this reminder, and for Your incredible grace toward me. Help me fulfill each task You have for me, pleasing You alone, for Your glory. Thank You. Praise God!

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Success; October 29, 2020

Posted on October 31, 2020 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.”

Every minister needs to take this verse to heart. Even if we are able to be with someone long term, the time will come when we are taken from the earth, and what will they do then? For that matter, this applies to every parent in relation to their children. There is nothing higher to which we can commit someone than God, and in practical, day-to-day terms, that means His Word. We can do absolutely nothing better for someone than to instill in them the practice of taking in the Word of God daily, along with a hunger to hear from Him. Today we have the great luxury of having the Bible very readily available, even in electronic form on our phones, so we have it with us all the time. Unfortunately, that very availability tends to make us take it lightly. We don’t value what costs us so little. We always have the challenge of applying what we read and hear, (James 1:22) but we need to grasp it in the first place. Dennis Prager has said that his goal for his children, and for his students/disciples, which are another kind of children, is that they be good. Not rich, successful, intellectual, or anything else, but good. This verse amplifies that and puts a point on it, all the way to “holy,” which is what “sanctified” means. Being holy is the ultimate kind of being good!

This of course applies to me all over. I can have no greater goal for my physical children and my spiritual children than what Paul expresses here. For much of my ministry my chief desire has been that those around me develop a firm pattern of daily devotions that centers on hearing God through His Word. It is a continuing sorrow that so few have really seemed to take that up. For a long time I have been very aware that I can’t guide people perfectly, and at 72, I am increasingly aware that even if I could, I won’t be around to do so indefinitely. However, God and His Word have no such limitations. I have been greatly blessed by Wayne Cordeiro’s SOAP system of devotions. (Scripture, Observation, Application, Prayer) However, that’s certainly not the only way to do it. I cannot force anyone into such a habit, and even if I could, external pressure wouldn’t produce the desired results. That’s why I need to pray for those in my charge, that they would have a hunger for God and His Word, and so partake of the riches that are available to them.

Father, thank You for this reminder, and for showing me how to formulate this into Sunday’s message. Wisdom is never a problem for You! I pray that I would be fully useful to You in raising up the children You desire, in greater and greater numbers, for their eternal blessing and Your glory. Thank You. Hallelujah!

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Spiritual Growth; October 27, 2020

Posted on October 30, 2020 by jgarrott

Acts 18:25 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.

This one verse should quiet those Pentecostals who put down their non-Charismatic brethren. On the other hand, it should at least soften the objections of some people to manifestations of the Holy Spirit. One totally unexpected outcome of the political mess that has been triggered by the Chinese corona virus has been the rapprochement between John MacArthur and Pentecostal leaders. When MacArthur was attacked by the California state government for holding services and he stood up to them, Che Ahn and others suddenly found themselves on his side, and it was a very unfamiliar feeling! I even saw a secular news broadcast with MacArthur and Pentecostal pastors together in the studio, talking about how unconstitutional Governor Newsom was being. This is simply further proof that God indeed works everything together for good! (Romans 8:28) That is not to say that ignorance of the things of the Spirit is a good thing. As the next verse tells us, Apollos was instructed in the things of the Spirit, and he obviously took it to heart, and became a great help to the Church at large. I personally think he was the author of Hebrews, though that is a relatively unimportant detail. What is important is that we are not to consider those who are ignorant as enemies. The devil is a very persistent and persuasive liar, and sometimes ignorant people can speak and act in hurtful ways, but we shouldn’t think of or treat them as enemies. After all, when God could turn Saul into Paul, who knows what He might do with that person who is opposing you?

I have had various people oppose me over the years. Some I have indeed chosen to avoid, but thankfully I haven’t been much tempted to enter into a vendetta against any of them. Some have accused me of spiritual pride, to be so sure I was right and they were wrong, and that is an area where I am well aware I am vulnerable. However, when the Lord has given me peace in the assurance He has given me, I am ready to extend grace to those who oppose. I am to remember that however correct my knowledge/beliefs might be, they aren’t the whole picture, (1 Corinthians 13:12) and be willing to learn from God through those who don’t seem to agree with me.

Father, thank You for this reminder. Thank You for all You did yesterday. There were many things, large and small – and You are the judge of what was large and what was small. Help me keep my eyes on You, yielding everything into Your hands so that You may indeed work it all together for good, and for Your glory. Thank You. Praise God!

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Salvation; October 26, 2020

Posted on October 30, 2020 by jgarrott

Acts 15:11 “No! We believe it is through the grace of our Lord Jesus that we are saved, just as they are.”

We tend to remember Paul’s famous statement to this effect in Ephesians 2:8-9, but forget that Peter said this quite some time before Paul wrote to the Ephesians. The principle of salvation by grace through faith is absolutely central to the Gospel, which is why the devil attacks it constantly in various subtle and not-so-subtle ways. The particular attack here was overt. Circumcision is hardly subtle! However, he also hits us with baptism, tithing, Bible reading, and church attendance. All of those things are important for spiritual health, but they aren’t essential for salvation, and the devil does all he can to confuse that. And, there are many similar things we could add to the list. Part of the problem is that on at least some level we want to take credit for our salvation. That flat out never works. That’s why Paul told the Ephesians, “not by works, so that no one can boast.” When we try to take credit for our own salvation or that of anyone else, we are putting ourselves in the place of God, and that is what the devil tempted Eve with in the Garden of Eden. The flip side of this issue is that if the devil can’t convince us that salvation depends on our doing something, he then tries to convince us that all the things we do are completely unimportant. That’s a lie too! All the things I mentioned above should flow out of gratitude that we have been saved, not as an effort to be saved. (Ephesians 2:10) When we get the cart before the horse, people who get baptized in order to be saved just get wet. If there is no repentance, there is no salvation. There too, human weakness can make it all tricky. Our repentance is often shallow and it needs to deepen, but that doesn’t necessarily mean we weren’t saved in the first place. Sometimes people have an experience with the Holy Spirit that is so dramatic that they think they weren’t saved before, and they connect gifts of the Holy Spirit with salvation itself. That too is a sad mistake. It is true that the Holy Spirit is given to all who believe in Christ, (Galatians 3:2) but we are filled to varying degrees, and not all receive the same gifts. We are to seek to be filled more and more, as I spoke about just yesterday, and we are to desire gifts to equip us to serve God, (1 Corinthians 14:1) growing and maturing in faith and obedience, but all of those things follow after salvation, and are not some sort of litmus test as to whether someone is saved.

This is very close to home for me. I loved Jesus as a small child and committed myself to Him in baptism at age seven, but wandered off in spiritual pride until the Lord brought me back sharply at age 24. That experience was so dramatic that I requested, and received, a second water baptism, but in retrospect, I believe I was already saved. I have been something of an “anti-legalist” much of my life, but I realize the importance of such things as tithing and daily devotions for being able to discern and follow God’s best. As a pastor, I have sadly baptized some people who were perhaps saying the right things but hadn’t really repented, so they just got wet. However, even there I must release them to God, because I never saved them in the first place, nor could I have. One young man in particular comes to mind, who really seemed on fire, but after his father succumbed to cancer his mother’s pressure pulled him away from the church completely. I cannot say that he is not saved, though I haven’t seen him for 30 years. (He’s not exactly a young man now!) And there are others. I am to be faithful to proclaim the Gospel in all purity, asking God to use the words He speaks through me to bring people to repentance and faith for their salvation, and for His glory alone.

Father, this isn’t just a huge issue, it’s the fundamental issue. Help me be an instrument of Your salvation indeed, and not a hindrance in any way, so that as many as possible may be born again into eternal life, for Your glory. Thank You. Hallelujah!

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Missions; October 25, 2020

Posted on October 29, 2020 by jgarrott

Acts 14:26-27 From Attalia they sailed back to Antioch, where they had been committed to the grace of God for the work they had now completed. On arriving there, they gathered the church together and reported all that God had done through them and how he had opened the door of faith to the Gentiles

We forget how utterly groundbreaking this 1st missionary journey was. In the first place, travel wasn’t nearly as common or as safe then as it is now. The very fact that they returned intact was worth celebrating! On top of that, the idea of sharing the Gospel freely with Gentiles, though it had started in Antioch, was still very new, to the point that the very next thing that happened after this was the Council of Jerusalem, debating whether this whole thing was to be accepted or not. There were many firsts, but the principle of missionaries reporting back to their sending body was a precedent that has been followed to this day. Everyone is called to be a witness, (Acts 1:8) but not everyone is sent great distances to do so. Those who have stayed closer to home need the opportunity to be aware that they too are part of what God is doing. God isn’t just interested in the “far lands,” any more than He is just interested in your next door neighbor. As Paul later wrote to Timothy, God “wants all men to be saved and to come to a knowledge of the truth.” (1 Timothy 2:4) When missionaries report on what God has done through them, it should encourage those who have supported them in prayer and finances, for mutual rejoicing and praise to God, strengthening the faith of everyone involved.

This is in some ways very close to home and in other ways distant from me. My parents were Southern Baptist missionaries, and at that time the Southern Baptist Foreign Mission Board was the largest missionary-sending body in the world. My grandfather, W. O. Carver, had been very instrumental in that, and at one point over half of all Southern Baptist missionaries were graduates of the Carver School of Missions and Social Work (now absorbed into Southern Baptist Theological Seminary). My parents were appointed as single missionaries in 1934 and 1935, respectively, and in those days it was no small matter to travel to the other side of the world. Ocean trips took several days, at the very least! Travel was such an issue that the cycle was five years “on the field” and one year “home” (though the emotional home eventually became the field of service). In contrast, when my immediate family came to Omura we had no “sending body,” (long story there) and visits to the US have been strictly a matter of finances and arranging schedules. I have never “reported in” on visits to the US, and even the church I pastored before we came to Omura has given us little opportunity for that sort of thing, other than on a personal, individual basis. Frankly, I think I’m the poorer for it. I’m not just talking about finances, though that has been an issue for us, but much more the feeling that people were lifting us up in prayer consistently. I am an “independent, self-supporting missionary,” but there is no such thing as genuine independence in the Body of Christ, and every one of us is ultimately supported by God. I have failed to acknowledge that properly from my side, as well. I have told people that rather than being a missionary, I might more accurately be called a Caucasian pastor in Japan. I cannot change the past, so my focus is to be faithful and obedient right now, whatever that may mean.

Father, I didn’t expect to write on this today. Thank you. Thank You for the message You’ve given me for this morning on being filled with the Spirit, because it’s inseparable from being witnesses wherever we are. I do pray that all of Your children in this city (since this is where You have given me responsibility and authority) may be filled with Your Holy Spirit to be Your witnesses indeed, wherever You want to use them, for Your glory. Thank You. Hallelujah!

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Opposition; October 24, 2020

Posted on October 29, 2020 by jgarrott

Acts 14:2-3 But the Jews who refused to believe stirred up the Gentiles and poisoned their minds against the brothers. So Paul and Barnabas spent considerable time there, speaking boldly for the Lord, who confirmed the message of his grace by enabling them to do miraculous signs and wonders.

One word jumps out at me from this: So, starting verse 3. (The Japanese softens it just a little, to “Even so.”) This is hardly the way most people would respond to people’s minds being poisoned against them! However, throughout the New Testament, and indeed, throughout the history of the Church, we have the record of people taking opposition as a sign they were doing things right. Various times Jesus made it very clear that those who follow Him will face the sort of opposition He faced, so believers have taken it as a badge of honor. The Church in America has been pampered for much of the 250 years the nation has existed, and the current anti-Christian discrimination that is showing up in various places (and thankfully, some of it getting struck down by courts) is a good wake-up call. American Christians are used to praying for Christians under persecution in other areas of the world, but I know of at least one pastor in Sudan who, being told American churches were praying for him, responded that he prayed for American believers that their faith would not drown in the sea of luxury. I think he was given direct revelation by the Holy Spirit! We are not used to paying a price for our faith, which makes us value it little. It is a simple fact that people fail to value things that don’t cost them anything. Jane Fonda recently said that she thought COVID-19 was “God’s gift to the Left,” but in point of fact, it may well be God’s gift to the Church, to snap them out of their stupor and expose all the vile things that have come out over the past year. This is not a time to treat people as enemies, but it is certainly a time to take sides, to open our eyes and see what is Scriptural and what is not. Dr. Cal Guy, whom I was privileged to have as a seminary professor, said that those in active opposition to the Gospel were far better prospects for evangelism than those who simply didn’t care. Saul/Paul is of course the chief Biblical example, but Dr. Guy told of a man who literally spit in his face – and not just saliva – when he was doing door-to-door evangelism, but who later was saved and became a deacon in Dr. Guy’s church. We give up far too quickly!

This is a somewhat uncomfortable thing for me to write about, because I have had little active opposition to ministry in Omura, but I have also had little harvest. Maybe I need to be making bigger waves! Japanese culture emphasizes harmony, and people sometimes bend over backwards to avoid disturbing what they see as harmony. However, their perceptions are often distorted, because uniformity isn’t the same thing as genuine harmony. Japanese believers sometimes face ostracism from their family and associates, but more often, it is the fear of such ostracism that holds them back. I’ve never had any opposition to faith in my family, quite the opposite, so I have no direct empathy with such believers. All I can do is pray for them and speak the truth in love, asking the Holy Spirit to sort it all out. At the very least, I need to encourage them not to fear opposition, but rather to take it as an honor, just as Paul and Barnabas did.

Father, thank You for this Word. Help me say what You want me to say, when and how and to whom You want me to say it, so that Your Word may have its full work as You intend, for the salvation of many and for Your glory. Thank You. Hallelujah!

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