Hope; October 10, 2025

Posted on October 11, 2025 by jgarrott

Romans 15:13 May the God of hope fill you with all joy and peace as you trust in him, so that you may overflow with hope by the power of the Holy Spirit.

It has been demonstrated countless times that hope is an essential element in human survival. Wise medical staff will be honest with patients, but at the same time not destroy hope. Predictions of lifespan should be expressed to the family, and only in very guarded terms to the patient. There should be no bones made about the fact that everyone is mortal, and every patient should be prepared for an end-of-life scenario, but medical predictions can easily be wildly off. We have a friend with lung cancer who is more than two years past her predicted demise, and though on oxygen, enjoys fellowship with her husband and children. She is a strong Christian and has no fear of death, but is rather filled with hope of a glorious future, whether in this world or the next. She is a strong argument against euthanasia! Hope is a powerful motivator. Young people who have a hope of success will apply themselves toward their goal, whatever that might be, but without hope, their talents are likely to be wasted. It is the hopeless who are most vulnerable to such temptations as drugs and gangs. Hope is not the same thing as wishful thinking. Rather, it is powerful to the point that Paul ranks it right up there with faith and love among eternal qualities. (1 Corinthians 13:13) God is indeed the God of hope, as Paul says here, and we should be deeply grateful. A generally hopeful attitude is often called optimism, but the Bible doesn’t want us to be “cockeyed optimists,” to use the term from the song in South Pacific, but rather realists who are aware that God is over all, and He is greater than any obstacles we might encounter.

I think I’ve been an optimist most of my life, but that doesn’t mean I haven’t had struggles with depression at times. In my experience, it all comes down to focus. If I am focused on myself and my circumstances, hope can easily go out the window. If I am focused on my Lord, my hope is boundless! He has surprised me with blessings more times than I could count, and that enables me to take blows in stride. Some people were almost shocked at my attitude a couple of years ago when I slipped on ice and broke my left wrist rather spectacularly. It was certainly inconvenient, and recovery took time and was painful, but it didn’t drag me down. Just recently I lost a hard drive with a lot of data on it that is either totally lost or will require a lot of effort to recreate. I’ve actually been rather surprised at myself, at how calmly I’ve taken it! I really think hope comes down to trusting God to know and do what is best, whatever it might look like to me in the moment.

Father, thank You for this reminder. I’m in the middle of a hectic time, and it’s easy to be pulled down by missed expectations. Help me indeed keep my expectations fixed on You, not trying to dictate what will happen when, but allowing You to guide me and those around me in the way You know is best, for Your glory. Thank You. Praise God!

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Joy; October 9, 2025

Posted on October 10, 2025 by jgarrott

Romans 14:17 For the kingdom of God is not a matter of eating and drinking, but of righteousness, peace and joy in the Holy Spirit.

This is an extremely familiar Scripture, courtesy of a musical setting for it and verse 19 that I’ve been singing for close to 50 years. Too many people think of religion, and Christianity specifically, as a set of rules and regulations, particularly prohibitions. They think of the 10 Commandments as entirely negative, when it has positive commands in it as well, most famously, the one to honor our parents. Even the one to honor the Sabbath day and keep it holy has been turned into a negative, even from well before Jesus’ day, with emphasis on all the things not to do on the Sabbath. Paul very rightly turns that on its head, focusing on the very positive elements of righteousness, peace, and joy in the Holy Spirit. Norman Vincent Peale famously wrote a book on The Power of Positive Thinking. I haven’t read it, but he has a point. Positive, optimistic people get a lot more out of life, and are a lot more fun to be around, than people who are the reverse. That isn’t at all an excuse for license, a throwing off of all rules. After all, Paul starts his short list with righteousness, which can be defined as doing what is right and acceptable to God. The second item is peace, which is to say, stop fighting God! As I wrote two days ago, far too many people are at war with God, which is a recipe for futility and defeat. And then, Paul follows up with joy in the Holy Spirit. Far too many people don’t even know how to seek joy, and so seek pleasure and material and physical satisfaction. Those things aren’t necessarily bad (unless perverted by the devil) but they are fleeting, being tied to this passing world. Genuine joy transcends all that. We get to taste it in this world, but its fulfillment comes in the next, when nothing will interfere with the free flow of the Holy Spirit in and through us. That’s what the kingdom of God is all about!

As I have written before, I once had a taste of such intense joy in the Holy Spirit that I literally told the Lord that if He had anything more for me to do on earth, He’d better back off a little, because my physical body couldn’t take it! That was in a small prayer meeting with three brothers in Christ, and I can’t imagine how it will be when I am with the assembled saints before the Throne! Meanwhile, I do enjoy life in the here and now, to the point that a non-Christian friend brought friends of his to meet me, because he said he wanted them to meet someone who enjoyed living. I think that comes from my focusing on being right with God and not fighting Him. As a pastor teacher, I seek to let others know how they too can experience the kingdom of God here and now, which of course starts with repentance and faith. To go to the specific topic Paul was writing about here, I have no dietary restrictions – other than to not eat too much – and I feel no need of stimulants, either liquid or pharmaceutical. It is easy to recommend my lifestyle to anyone who is interested, because I believe it is what God has laid out for us for our good.

Father, thank You for Your incredible grace toward us all. Help me be more and more effective in helping others recognize and receive that grace, for their salvation and Your glory. Thank You. Hallelujah!

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A Cautionary Note

Posted on October 9, 2025 by jgarrott

For some time now Word Press has been telling me I have over 1000 subscribers, but when I post, it says “sent to 53 subscribers,” or thereabouts. I have no idea why that is, unless “the powers that be” want to suppress what I am writing, but if you run into this and realize you’ve been missing my posts, you might try re-subscribing.

Blessings,

Jack Garrott

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Practical Love; October 8, 2025

Posted on October 9, 2025 by jgarrott

Romans 12:21 Do not be overcome by evil, but overcome evil with good.

Paul got on a roll here with his nuggets of wisdom, but this verse comes as close to summarizing the whole section as anything. There is a lot of excellent, practical advice here, bringing to mind both Proverbs and the Sermon on the Mount. The first verse of the section, verse 9, sets the stage, talking about evil and good, as this verse does, but starting out with genuine love. We can’t live like Paul says in this section, or as the Bible as a whole says, without obeying what Jesus said were the 1st and 2nd commandments: loving God, and loving our neighbor. (Matthew 22:36-40) If we will do those things, we will indeed hate evil and love good, overcoming evil with good. As I have said many times, genuine love is in no way weak. Jesus, of course, is the ultimate example, submitting to scourging and crucifixion out of His love for His Father and for us, and thus achieving the greatest victory in all eternity. Every one of the things outlined in this section is an expression of love, and frankly, some of them can be pretty difficult. We can do them only to the degree we accept and grasp the love God has for us. As John said so succinctly, “We love because he first loved us.” (1 John 4:19) It is when we let God’s love flow through us that we live as Paul describes here.

I grew up with genuine love, which is a blessing not everyone has. I knew my parents loved me, and more than that, I knew God loved me. I wish I could say that I’ve always let that love flow through me, overcoming evil with good, but that would certainly be overstating the case. I am grateful to say that I think I currently have a reputation for being loving, but that is without question only by the grace of God. I need to be constantly seeking God for the wisdom to apply His love accurately, not excusing sin but forgiving it, indeed over-coming evil with good. Looking at the Internet, I am all too aware of the evil that is all around us, but I must not let that drag me down. Instead, I must let God show me my part in His rule and reign being established as His will is done, for His glory.

Father, thank You for this reminder. We’ve got a great deal going on in the coming week, to the point that thinking about it is intimidating. Thank You that our older daughter was able to rearrange her schedule so that she will get here tonight with her sister, despite the first leg of her trip being so delayed as to throw everything off. I do pray that both daughters will have good trips and meet up in Tokyo with joy. Cathy and I have a lot going on here while they are traveling. May we all rest, relax, and rejoice in You, assured of Your love and Your perfect plans, for Your glory. Thank You. Praise God!

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Peace with God; October 7, 2025

Posted on October 8, 2025 by jgarrott

Romans 5:1 Therefore, since we have been justified through faith, we have peace with God through our Lord Jesus Christ,

There are so many glorious truths in this chapter, it’s very difficult to choose one verse to write on! I settled on this one because so many people are obviously at war with God. The futility of that goes without saying, since He is omnipotent and we aren’t, but this is just another demonstration of human stupidity. The thing of it is, God has prepared the way for peace, but we have to first of all desire it, then believe it is possible, and finally, humble ourselves to accept it. I am reminded of the current negotiations with Hamas in Gaza. The offer is on the table, but Hamas has to accept the conditions, and at this point, their hatred of the Jews is still in the way. Sadly, many people seem to hate God, not for any logical reason, but simply because they aren’t Him. Human hubris knows no bounds! That people would choose to remain at war with their Creator, damaging Him in no way and benefiting themselves in no way, is beyond comprehension, but that is the way things are. If anything, the demonstrations of hatred for God seem to be increasing, and it is tragic. The problem for people who love God is that the people who hate Him, being unable to damage God directly, often turn against the people who love him, generating persecution of all sorts and even martyrdom. For those who are at peace with God through faith, the task and privilege is to share the news that such peace is possible with those who don’t yet have it. Some people will receive that news with joy, some people will outright reject it, preferring to nurture their hatred for God, and some will struggle to believe that it is even possible. We aren’t to give up, whatever the reception might be, but continue to pray for all we encounter, that they might be given the gift of repentance and faith, for their salvation and God’s glory.

As I have written, God has recently been opening my eyes to see the joy of sharing. In the past I have hesitated, because so few received, but He is giving me joy even in the sharing. Yesterday I invited a friend to join the Family of God, but he still has trouble believing it is possible for him. I was able to assure him of my love for him, and I think he believes that, having known me for several years now. I continue to pray that his eyes would be opened to see, not just his own need, but God’s overwhelming supply. Most of the people with whom I share the Gospel don’t really understand that they need it, but that’s not his case. I need to keep praying that he will have a revelation of the love of God that will wipe out all his hesitation.

Father, thank You for what You did yesterday in my interaction with my friend. Help him understand that You aren’t at war with him, so that he will let down his guard and accept the salvation that You so freely offer, for Your glory. Thank You. Praise God!

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Salvation; October 6, 2025

Posted on October 7, 2025 by jgarrott

Acts 16:30-32 He then brought them out and asked, “Sirs, what must I do to be saved?”
They replied, “Believe in the Lord Jesus, and you will be saved—you and your household.” Then they spoke the word of the Lord to him and to all the others in his house.

This is an exceedingly famous story, and for good reason. Every believer with a hint of evangelistic motivation longs to hear what the jailer said to Paul and Silas, and countless people with unbelieving family members have clung to what Paul and Silas said to the jailer. However, we must not forget what happened immediately after that brief reply: they spoke the Word of the Lord to the jailer’s whole household. We need to understand the context of all of this. Paul and Silas had been in Phillipi for “many days,” and had been proclaiming the Gospel the whole time. What had gotten them into jail was their deliverance of the slave girl who had been following them, shouting, “These men are servants of the Most High God, who are telling you the way to be saved.” (Acts 16:17) That was the background of the jailer’s question. He was certainly shaken, and not just by the earthquake, because by Roman law, his life would have been forfeit if the prisoners had escaped, and he was about to fall on his sword to avoid the torture that would have accompanied his execution. “Salvation” was an immediate, urgent topic for him! The tone of the response to his question echoes what Peter said at Pentecost: “The promise is for you and your children and for all who are far off—for all whom the Lord our God will call.” (Acts 2:39) Each individual has to make a commitment, but the invitation is never just to the one individual. We don’t really understand salvation, because we need it and can accept it but can’t accomplish it ourselves. The jailer’s household wasn’t saved automatically, but because they heard the Gospel along with the jailer and believed it for themselves. We are indeed to pray for and work for whole households entering the family of God together, but that still doesn’t eliminate the need for individual repentance and faith. We are to proclaim the invitation, and then give people the information they need to accept it.

I have wrestled with this story for much of my life. American culture tends to be focused on the individual, and Japanese culture tends to be focused on the group. I think one reason for the extreme success of the early efforts of Xavier and those with him was that they weren’t overly fixated on the individual, so when people like Lord Sumitada Omura became Christian, their retainers who accepted this new religion out of loyalty to their lord were received as believers as well. Some were doubtless performative, but a major proportion were entirely genuine, to the point that they and their descendants accepted banishment or even martyrdom rather than discard their faith. Group cohesion isn’t nearly as strong today, but it’s still strong, and evangelism aimed at leaders and heads of households has great potential, I think. Today I will be meeting with someone who hasn’t yet made a commitment to Christ, and I believe I am to challenge him to make that commitment. He has no household, and I only know about one sister, whom I haven’t met, but the offer of salvation by faith is certainly applicable to him.

Father, thank You for the way You have clearly been working in Kazunari’s heart. I pray that today would indeed be the day of salvation for him, and that I would be faithful to mentor him as Your child so that he will grow strong in You, for Your glory. Thank You. Hallelujah!

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Regulations; October 5, 2025

Posted on October 6, 2025 by jgarrott

Acts 15:28 “It seemed good to the Holy Spirit and to us not to burden you with anything beyond the following requirements:”

The early believers were aware that their authority came from God, and specifically from the Holy Spirit. They had experienced more than enough of the rule of man, and they wanted to operate in the kingdom of God. The particular issue at hand was of vital importance, not only for them in their time but for believers of all ages, down through today, as I discussed yesterday. They knew that “religion as usual” could be an immense burden, so they limited their instructions to a few things that could easily be major snares, not urging adherence to the whole weight of Jewish tradition. Recently several Christian leaders have been recommending Sabbath observance to a degree that hasn’t been practiced among Christians for a few centuries, specifically “unplugging” from the digital world from Friday sundown to Saturday sundown, and that frankly seems wise to me, though I haven’t implemented it in my own life yet. After all, Jesus explicitly said that the Sabbath was made for man, not man for the Sabbath. (Mark 2:27) The point is, the Old Testament regulations were given for the benefit of mankind, to bless them and not burden them. As John wrote clearly, God’s commands are not burdensome. (1 John 5:3) It is when we twist them and misapply them and use them against each other that they become more than we can bear.

I have been something of an “anti-legalist” all my life. How much of that was from a proper understanding of Scripture and how much was from simply being rebellious is for God to decide. As a pastor I have sought to guide my flock in the right path, without laying heavy burdens on them, and I have probably erred on the side of laxness. I have had believers who drank and smoked, and God has dealt with them, with my saying very little. I have been consistent in pointing out what is dangerous to our bodies, and that we are accountable for our stewardship of our bodies, but that applies to overeating and lack of exercise as well. In Bible days, with no mechanical transportation and frequent food shortages, those last were seldom an issue! I am not to gloss over anything the Bible tells us, but I am to be fully sensitive to the Holy Spirit as to what applies to us today. The moral issues are most universal, but they are the most under attack. I am not to be a legalist, but I am certainly not to be a scoff-law.

Father, thank You for this reminder. Thank You for the rather severe reminder You’ve given me over the past 12 hours, with the failure of the hard drive. That really is forcing a reset of my priorities, of understanding what my legacy is to be. I ask for Your will to be done, whether or not I recover any of that data, so that Your purposes may be accomplished on Your schedule for Your glory. Thank You. Praise God!

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Rituals; October 4, 2025

Posted on October 5, 2025 by jgarrott

Acts 15:8-9 “God, who knows the heart, showed that he accepted them by giving the Holy Spirit to them, just as he did to us. He did not discriminate between us and them, for he purified their hearts by faith.”

The importance of this moment in Church history cannot be overstated. The vast majority of religions in the world rely on rituals of various sorts, for a number of reasons. For one thing, we tend to like rituals, to be comfortable with them. They can give us a sense of security, of the familiar. In Christian churches, a majority of the rituals have solid, theological and Biblical backing, but every ritual has the risk of becoming rote, of becoming separated from the original meaning in the hearts and lives of those performing it. That’s why God denounced the sacrificial rituals prescribed by Moses when the people’s hearts were far from Him. (Isaiah 29:13, Jeremiah 12:2) Jesus Himself quoted Isaiah on that point. (Matthew 15:8-9) At this point in the Church, the question was whether faith or ritual would be given priority. Thankfully, faith won out! However, we have the constant temptation/tendency to slip back into going through the motions without a genuine, vital relationship with our living Lord. That’s how church leaders, even, can get involved in horrible sins, all the while keeping up a pious façade. Peter was the perfect person to resolve this issue, because his experience at the house of Cornelius, recorded in Acts 10, could not have been more clear or definitive. After all, all those in the conference recorded here knew full well that the baptism in the Holy Spirit was not something they could fake, but had to be done by God. Acts 10 tells us that Peter and the believers with him were shocked when God poured His Spirit out on the Gentiles who were listening to them! The question for Christians today becomes the place and use of rituals in our own lives. Rituals are in a sense habitual, and “holy habits” can be very good indeed. However, we must be careful not to substitute the ritual for the substance, and certainly not force the ritual as such on others, though we might recommend it. Rituals cannot make us right with God!

This is something I’ve wrestled with off and on throughout my life. I grew up in a distinctly non-liturgical church, but various things still became rituals, even to the way the offering was taken every Sunday. Today, I have various “holy habits” that I value highly, but I realize I always have the tendency to go through the motions, without my heart being in it, which removes the benefit almost entirely. My day does not begin without my taking time to read the Bible and listen for what God is saying to me, just as I am doing right now, but I realize that I could well be thrown into situations where my current pattern would be impossible. However, I can still get quiet before God and listen to Him, whatever is going on around me. Just this morning, the devil was throwing all sorts of distractions into my mind, and I had to choose to focus on God and His Word. If I will do that consistently, rituals will not be a snare to me.

Father, thank You for this reminder. You know how strongly I desire that every believer in this church develop the “holy habit” of daily devotions. Show me how to encourage it without making it, or seeming to make it, a condition for membership or even salvation. May all our rituals be led by and filled with Your Spirit, fulfilling the purposes You have for them, for Your glory. Thank You. Praise God!

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Response to the Gospel; October 3, 2025

Posted on October 4, 2025 by jgarrott

Acts 13:48 When the Gentiles heard this, they were glad and honored the word of the Lord; and all who were appointed for eternal life believed.

Having ministered in Japan all my life, it’s a little hard for me to really imagine this scene. My parents too were missionaries, but I have never seen people respond so quickly to the Gospel. There was opposition, but there were hearts that were prepared and eager for the good news of Jesus. I have met two people, I think, who said they received Jesus the first time they entered a church, and for that matter, we had one girl who believed the first time she heard the Gospel, as a recent high school graduate, but such people are indeed few and far between. There’s one little phrase in this verse that can be hard to accept, but it’s very important: “appointed for/to eternal life.” We can’t force anyone to believe, as much as we might like to. It’s beyond our “mental horsepower” to grasp how that works, along with the whole issue of human free will. This issue caused the whole split among Protestants between Calvinists and Arminians, and I certainly can’t settle it here. This whole thing is a mystery, and being dogmatic about it reveals our own limited perception. As C. S. Lewis famously said, when we get to heaven we will discover we were all wrong somewhere! The point, in practical terms, is to “work out our salvation,” (Philippians 2:12) as Paul put it, and continue to give all we meet the opportunity to believe, knowing that not all will. That is the heartache of evangelism, but the fact that some will believe is the joy that makes it all worth it.

I think the “low rate of return” was one thing that convinced me I didn’t have the gift of Evangelist. Be that as it may, the Lord has recently been opening to me the joy of sharing the Gospel, whatever the response. I don’t know who is “appointed for eternal life,” but I must not exclude anyone on my part. I really do want everyone to believe, and I would love to wave a magic wand, or spike the water supply, or whatever, to make it happen, but I can’t do that, and it’s doubtless a good thing. I have frequently used the illustration that God doesn’t want robots who have to obey Him, He wants children who choose to obey Him. Knowing that’s true doesn’t keep me from wanting more people to believe! The Japanese in this verse says the people “entered into faith.” I can’t force anyone to come in, but I can hold the door open and call.

Father, this has been a struggle all my life, and certainly for the 44 years we’ve been in Omura. I do ask for Your mercy, on me and on this nation, that the veil that keeps people from seeing their own need of salvation may be ripped away, and millions cry out to Jesus as the only Savior, for a massive harvest, for Your kingdom and Your glory. Thank You. Hallelujah!

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God’s Plans; October 2, 2025

Posted on October 3, 2025 by jgarrott

Acts 8:26 Now an angel of the Lord said to Philip, “Go south to the road—the desert road—that goes down from Jerusalem to Gaza.”

It has been pointed out that Philip was in the middle of a revival in Samaria when this happened. Most evangelists/preachers would give a great deal to be able to participate in a true revival, but here, an angel tells Philip to leave. That he did so is evidence of his humble, obedient faith. We all need such a level of obedience! In this particular instance, the temptation not to obey was magnified by where he was told to go: “a desert place,” in other words, a place where nobody lived. Leaving an active revival to go where there was nobody? That took real courage and obedience, as well as complete assurance that the revival had nothing to do with him, but was all of the Lord. When the Lord uses us, we tend to think it’s because of us, when we are generally just incidental. Humility is essential! As it turned out, Philip’s obedience resulted in an Ethiopian body of believers that continues to this day, traditionally rooted in Solomon’s “gift” to the Queen of Sheba, as discussed in 1 Kings 10. Even today, Ethiopian Jews are acknowledged and significant. All that is to say that Philip got to participate in God’s plan, that he couldn’t have imagined on his own. God is of course still using people today, and if we want to be in that number, Philip is an excellent role model. Who knows? Maybe we too might get to experience the “Holy Spirit Express” that Philip did when he left the eunuch! (8:39-40)

This is very timely for me, because yesterday I was asked to be the interpreter for a seminar to be held in early December in a place I’ve never been. I was told that hotel accommodations can be a problem, so please make my reservation early, but I don’t know where it is! I sent a message this morning asking for clarification on that point, but this will be an adventure in any case. It remains to be seen whether I will be able to take public transportation or whether I will need to drive. I’m not to be uptight about it, because it’s God’s plan and not mine. There are also assorted other variables I will need to clarify, but again, God’s got it all worked out, so I just need to inquire as to His plans. This is all part of what He indicated to me some time back, that He would be moving me into a wider ministry, so I needed to have things settled here to operate in my absence. He has been doing that, too, so I have nothing to worry about. That’s easier to say than to operate on! I’ve been thinking about the hotel for the seminar ever since I woke up to go to the bathroom before 4! I am very aware that I need to keep growing, but God’s got that in hand as well, so as He told me years ago now, I just need to rest, relax, and rejoice in Him.

Father, thank You for this reminder. Thank You for all You are doing in and around me. May You be free to do through me all that You desire, so that the Body of Christ may be built up and Your name glorified. Thank You. Praise God!

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