Being an Example; November 27, 2018

Posted on November 28, 2018 by jgarrott

1 Timothy 4:12 Don’t let anyone look down on you because you are young, but set an example for the believers in speech, in life, in love, in faith and in purity.

It struck me just now that this verse could be amplified to read, “because you are young, or old, or a woman, or a foreigner, or for any other reason.” Timothy happened to be young, but the rest of the verse would apply equally to everyone. The NIV says, “look down on you,” but the Japanese expresses it as, “look at you lightly,” which is to say, not take you seriously. The flip side of this is that we aren’t to be dismissive of anyone, but understand that God can use whom­ever He pleases. Every believer in Jesus Christ should strive to be an example to others in the ways mentioned here. Otherwise, how is anyone going to know we are Christians? I’m brought back to the thought question I was reminded of recently: If you were arrested for being a Christian, would there be enough evidence to convict you? There’s another small difference between the NIV and the Japanese that catches my attention. Where the NIV says, “in life,” the Japanese says, “in attitude.” That puts a little bit more of a point on it. Our attitude indeed colors our whole life. If our attitude is, “God’s got good stuff for me and I want to get it,” that’s not necessarily bad, but how is it different from non-believers around us, except that we’ve inserted God into the mix? Instead, our attitude should be, “God loved me enough to send His Son to die for me, and that deserves every bit of my gratitude and obedience.” If we live like that, the world will be impacted!

This is as challenging to me as it is to anyone. At 70, I’m certainly more likely to be dismissed because I’m old than because I’m young, and being a Caucasian in Japan can be a reason for not being taken seriously. Regardless, I am to live an exemplary life, in front of believers and non-believers alike. That is what will draw them to Christ. Our recent Thanksgiving dinner was a good example of that. 2/3 of those present were not Christians, and I think they were impressed by what they saw (and ate!). After 37 years here in Omura, I don’t think we have any human enemies. We have been remarkably well accepted. That said, there haven’t been very many who have committed themselves to Christ, and I think it comes from a fundamental lack of understanding of accountability and eternal judgment. They don’t believe they need to be saved. Just recently I was talking with one of our strongest members, and she said that Japanese have a very hazy concept of the devil and of hell. That’s probably why suicide seems like an attractive way out of difficulty for them. I need to seek the Lord for wisdom to express spiritual realities in ways that people will understand and accept, so that they too may repent and believe for their salvation.

Father, thank You for this reminder. I am constantly frustrated by how people seem to accept us, but still don’t accept Christ. (John 13:20) Thank You for what You did at the dinner Sunday night. I pray that the seed planted then would indeed bear abundant fruit, bringing real breakthrough for Your kingdom, for Your glory. Thank You. Praise God!

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Prayer; November 26, 2018

Posted on November 28, 2018 by jgarrott

1 Timothy 2:5-6 For there is one God and one mediator between God and men, the man Christ Jesus, who gave himself as a ransom for all men—the testimony given in its proper time.

It seems that every monotheistic religion has a statement similar to verse five. For Judaism it is the famous Shema: “Hear, O Israel: The Lord our God, the Lord is one.” (Deuteronomy 6:4) The one for Islam is even more similar to verse five, which is interesting since it was written a few hundred years later: “There is no God but Allah, and Mohamed is his prophet.” (Incidentally, in an act of “cultural jihad,” Islamic groups have persuaded some US schools to teach this to elementary students, even teaching them to write it in Arabic, for “cultural understanding.”) Naturally, Paul’s statement is rooted in the Shema, but there is an additional element in Paul’s statement that is of great importance, and that is of Christ being the sole mediator between God and man. He was and is uniquely qualified, being both fully God and fully man, and recognizing Him as the sole mediator has a huge impact on prayer. Many people, notably the whole Catholic Church, pray to a wide assortment of saints, and their liturgy asks Mary to pray for them. That sort of thing is in direct violation of this passage. The devil has lied to people, telling them that “God’s too busy to hear your prayers, and you’re too insignificant anyway, so you’d better go through someone else.” That’s making God too small, and that’s something the devil is always trying to do. God is big enough to love, and listen to, each of us individually! The better we get that through our heads, the more intimate, joyful, and powerful our prayers will be. Every believer in Jesus as their Lord and Savior has every right and authority to speak directly with the Godhead: Father, Son, and Holy Spirit. (Hebrews 4:15-16)

It was a huge blessing to be raised in a family that had this understanding of prayer. Prayer was as natural as any other form of communication, if not more so. I sometimes say it was as natural as breathing, and that’s not much of an exaggeration. One of my greatest desires, and at the same time greatest challenges, as a pastor is for every member of my flock to have that sort of prayer life. That is inseparably connected with their reading the Bible regularly, because that’s the easiest and most reliable way to hear from God, rather than our just talking at Him. The more familiar you are with the Bible, the easier it is to hear Him accurately in other ways as well. I’ve always liked the line from John Denver’s Rocky Mountain High that says, “talk to God and listen to the casual reply.” That’s a goal to strive for, but without the Bible as a standard it’s all too easy to be deceived by lying spirits. (1 Kings 22:22-23) That’s why I try to focus on listening to God through the Bible in my morning devotions, and talk to Him throughout the day.

Father, thank You for this reminder. It helps give direction to my Advent sermons for the year, which start next Sunday. (My, how time flies!) Thank You for the good turnout a the Thanksgiving dinner last night, and for how smoothly everything went. Thank You particularly for how many people pitched in with the cleanup afterwards. I continue to ask that the impact made on those in attendance would work deeply in them to draw them to full repentance and faith, for their salvation and Your glory. Thank You. Hallelujah!

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Credentials; November 25, 2018

Posted on November 27, 2018 by jgarrott

1 Timothy 1:15 Here is a trustworthy saying that deserves full acceptance: Christ Jesus came into the world to save sinners—of whom I am the worst.

Here we have one of the keys to Paul’s ministry. He could never forget that he had violently opposed all who followed Christ, and was forever amazed that God in His grace had chosen to use him in His service. Far too many church leaders feel they have somehow earned their positions, whereas Paul, in contrast went on at some length to explain how all of his “qualifications” were worthless before God. (Philippians 3:4-14) Paul could never have written half of the New Testament had he not realized he was a “Class A Sinner” in the “war crimes trial” of those who had opposed God. What we need to realize is that his circle of friends before he went to Damascus considered him very admirable, a rising star in the Jewish sect of the Pharisees. Probably no one but God (and those fully in tune with Him) would have considered him a “sinner” at that time. Part of God’s grace to him was in showing him just how bad he really had been. There are many comparable stories today of drug addicts and criminals of all sorts who turn to God, and sometimes that creates the impression that we can’t be mightily used by God unless we have a terrible past. That’s a lie from the devil! The thing is, every human being on the face of the planet has rebelled against God, disobeying their own conscience at the very least. (Romans 3:23) And any sin disqualifies us from communion with an absolutely holy and righteous God. (James 2:10-11) We have a deep-seated desire to take credit for what we have or whatever good we have done, but God in His grace revealed to Paul how foolish that is.

My own “Damascus Road Experience” was in a church in Denver, Colorado, when the Lord tapped me on the shoulder and then showed me my soul in a mirror, figuratively speaking. It was only a glimpse, but it was enough to drive me to my knees quite literally, crying out, “My Lord and my God!” Like Paul, I have human “credentials,” growing up as a son of missionaries and a grandson of a pastor and a seminary professor. I too had to learn that those were worthless if I claimed them as “mine.” They had and have value only as they are submitted to God in recognition that they are no more than indicators of God’s grace to me. It is a problem when people look at my pedigree and think they can never be like me because their background is different. The thing is, God wants people with their background in His kingdom as well! I cannot draw anyone closer to Christ by talking down to them; I have to come alongside them and walk with them. That’s why it’s so important that I’m getting teaching/training in coaching, because that’s what I need to do. I’m not to be uptight about it, however, because if God could save and use me, he can save and use anybody!

Father, thank You for this reminder. Thank You also for the good response we’ve been getting to the idea of the Thanksgiving dinner tonight. I leave the total number in Your hands. May we be neither disappointed nor overwhelmed! May Your Word go forth in clarity and power, both in the service this morning and at the dinner tonight. We anticipate quite a few people who are not yet believers being here. May this be a powerful witness to draw them to You, for their salvation and Your glory. Thank You. Hallelujah!

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Welfare; November 24, 2018

Posted on November 27, 2018 by jgarrott

2 Thessalonians 3:10 For even when we were with you, we gave you this rule: “If a man will not work, he shall not eat.”

The whole matter of welfare assistance programs is very big in society today. Large sections of society feel entitled to a certain level of luxury – currently including cell phones – without their putting any effort into it at all. I’m sure many people were as disgusted as I was at the person in the “migrant caravan” in Mexico complaining about the food they were being given for free. Jesus, not to mention Deuteronomy, is very clear that the needs of those who are helpless are to be met by those who can do so. However, when so many try to “game the system,” it tends to turn off even the naturally generous. Paul is very clear here. The NIV puts it as “will not work,” and the Japanese expresses it as “doesn’t want to work.” It the next verse he uses the term, “idle.” Human beings were created to get things done, to make things and do things and help each other. In Ephesians Paul puts it like this: “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) Saying, “I’m not going to work,” is defying God. That’s not at all to say that those who are unable to work for any of a number of reasons are in any way diminished in value. In a way, they provide great blessing to those who are involved in serving the poor and the weak. Right now, after the devastating fires in California, those who are being active in meeting the needs of those who have been burnt out are being blessed immeasurably. That is an entirely different situation from what Paul is talking about here. Where we need to be careful is with those who falsely claim disability, who are quite capable of contributing to society but choose not to, but leach off of it instead.

I think this is very personal for perhaps most people. We have all been in situations where we needed a hand up, and may have received hand outs. The problem comes when we accept that as normative, instead of exceptional. “Working” can take many forms, some of them not so obvious. I will always remember my aunt who, when in advanced age and physical disability, complained that God would not take her home, saying that she was fulfilling no useful function. (This was a woman who had served as a missionary and had written several books.) Talking with her, I learned that one of her grandsons had been in danger of divorce, but she had prayed earnestly for him and his wife, and the marriage had been saved. I was able to say to her, “See, you are being productive! God used your prayers to save that marriage, even though you are blind and bedridden.” She was working, and more than “earned her keep.” I am never to turn a jaundiced eye to the needs of others, but neither am I to let myself be scammed by those who just want to get something for nothing. Everything we have from God is grace, but part of His grace to us is in allowing us to participate in the flow of His grace, through applying the gifts and abilities He has supplied.

Father, thank You for this reminder. Help me be an accurate conduit of Your strong love, and not be deceived by the tricks of the enemy and those who are submitted to him. Thank You. Praise God!

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Patient Endurance; November 23, 2018

Posted on November 25, 2018 by jgarrott

2 Thessalonians 3:5 May the Lord direct your hearts into God’s love and Christ’s perseverance.

Here we have it again: patient endurance/perseverance. That’s not a very popular idea in the Church today! We’re happy to receive God’s love, but the whole idea of needing patient endurance seems hard. We don’t like that! We want an indulgent, sugar-daddy kind of God, and we pitch fits when He doesn’t turn out to be like that. We tend to feel that the need for patient endurance is at odds with the very idea of a loving God. That shows how little we understand about love, and about parenting. God is love, and He is the perfect Father, but we try to cast Him in our own image, rather than understanding that the best we can be is but a pale reflection of who He is. Anyone who has raised children should understand that patient endurance is a highly desirable trait in a child, and one we need to foster and encourage. Psychologists might not agree on very much, but one thing that is universally accepted is that acceptance of delayed gratification is a major indicator of maturity. In other words, patient endurance! Society today seems actively to work against that, with instant everything, and that produces stunted emotional development and a host of problems that come from that. Even things like the opioid epidemic originate in the attitude that “I want to feel good NOW.” As Paul indicates, Jesus is our perfect role model here, as He is in everything else. We don’t know His degree of self-awareness as a child, but rather than launch out into “His ministry” on His own schedule, He waited until John was baptizing in the Jordan, and then He made His move. The Father responded by saying that He was “well pleased” with Jesus. (Matthew 3:17) This was before Jesus had done any miracles, much less gone to the cross. As the perfect Father, God is far more interested in who we are than in what we do, and patient endurance is a major part of that.

This couldn’t be any more applicable to me than it is. When I came to Omura I had visions of traveling around to different churches, teaching the Word and being loved by all. To say the least, that didn’t happen! In the 37 years since, the one thing I can say is that I’m still here. Various things are stirring, and it is entirely possible that God has “instant success” around the corner, but I certainly wouldn’t have been ready for it 37 years ago, and I may well not be ready for it now. It is not my business to set schedules for God to follow! However, faithful obedience is very much my business, indeed my whole business. God has worked on my patient endurance, and He has poured, not just showered, His love on me. I am not to hold back from anything He indicates I am to do, but neither am I to demand that things happen as my feeble mind plots them out. I’ve got to remember that He is indeed God and nothing is impossible for Him, and I am certainly not God, and on my own, nothing is possible for me. (John 15:5)

Father, thank You for this reminder. Thank You indeed for all that is going on. At this point there’s not much to “write home about,” but I feel a stirring in my spirit. Thank You. Help me rejoice in what You are doing without trying to dictate exactly what that is, much less take credit for anything, so that indeed, Your name may be acknowledged as holy and Your kingdom come as Your will is done, for Your glory. Thank You. Hallelujah!

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God’s Love; November 22, 2018

Posted on November 25, 2018 by jgarrott

2 Thessalonians 1:3 We ought always to thank God for you, brothers, and rightly so, because your faith is growing more and more, and the love every one of you has for each other is increasing.

I forget how many years ago it was that someone pointed out to me that this verse records the direct answer to a prayer that Paul recorded in his previous letter to these people: “May the Lord make your love increase and overflow for each other and for everyone else, just as ours does for you.” (1 Thessalonians 3:12) It is certainly encouraging to be able to record answers to prayer like that! A second thing to note is that the prayer and its answer are a highly desirable goal for any group of believers. Particularly in America we tend to be very individualistic, wrapped up in our own little worlds, when God is interested both in each individual and in the group as a whole. Many parts of God’s plan are achieved only as we interact with one another, (John 13:34-35) and Jesus specified our interactions with one another in what He called the Second Commandment as well. (Mark 12:31) It’s easy to feel pious about loving God, but loving the person in front of us can be a different matter. Frankly, it’s something we have to work at, right along with working on our obedience to God to demonstrate our love for Him. (John 14:15) Paul demonstrates that it’s entirely appropriate to pray for an increase of love, and that God delights to answer such prayers. I think we need to start first with praying for genuine love among believers, and then branch out to include others as well. Actually, agape love is only manifested in a faith context, so this is intimately connected with evangelism. If we want people to be more loving, we need to introduce them to Jesus!

We had a practicum in this very recently, when someone with whom we’ve had a contentious relationship showed up on their own, and we had a good time of prayer together. Everyone is in need of prayer, and everyone has room to grow in the areas of faith and love. Prayers like 1 Thessalonians 3:12 are pretty safe territory! As a pastor I am constantly admonishing people to love God more and love their neighbor more, but I must never forget myself in that prayer, never think that I have “arrived” in either of those areas. Agape isn’t something I can generate on my own, but I’ve got to be active in receiving it from God and allowing it to flow through me, both back to Him and to those around me. Faith is exactly the same way. It is a gift of God, (Ephesians 2:8-9) but I am to exercise it so that it will grow. If I will do that, God’s love in me will grow right along with it, and God Himself will be manifested more and more in and through me, because He is love. (1 John 4:8)

Father, thank You for this reminder. Thank You for all You are bringing us through to grow both our faith and our love. Thank You for the door You seem to be opening for me to hold marriage seminars, because of the love people see in Cathy and me for each other. I pray that I would be fully useful in encouraging faith and love in all those around me, so that many may repent and believe, for their salvation and Your glory. Thank You. Hallelujah!

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The Faithfulness of God; November 21, 2018

Posted on November 24, 2018 by jgarrott

1 Thessalonians 5:23-24 May God himself, the God of peace, sanctify you through and through. May your whole spirit, soul and body be kept blameless at the coming of our Lord Jesus Christ. The one who calls you is faithful and he will do it.

I really love this benediction, particularly because it’s been set to music delightfully in Japanese. (I have translated it into English so we can sing it bilingually here.) The famous brief instructions in the previous several verses are so absolute that the average believer might despair of ever living up to them. However, these two verses remind us that it is God who does the “heavy lifting.” Especially verse 24 here puts the focus where it should be, on God Himself. It’s not that we are perfectly faithful, or even that we have to strive to be for fear of being totally rejected, but that He is faithful, and He’s got it all in hand. There’s a beautiful little chorus that says, “God’s got it all in control.” Here Paul is saying exactly that, and that we aren’t to be anxious about any of it. A common reaction to the Bible is, “I could never live up to that, so why try?” Paul is pointing out that whatever God asks of us, He enables us to do; all He asks of us is the decision, the commitment. That’s a truth I tell people frequently, but they have trouble accepting it. That’s why God had Paul write it down in a letter that would become part of the Bible!

As often as I tell other people about this principle, I’ve got to remember and walk in it myself. It does me no good if I fail to practice what I preach! I also need to remember this passage when I get anxious about those under my ministry. Some have seemed to stray, but I can’t force them onto the “straight and narrow,” no matter how hard I try. The only result that is guaranteed is resentment! I’m not to hold back from speaking the truth in love to them, but what they do with that truth is their responsibility, so I am to pray for them, before and after I speak, that they would accept God’s truth and allow it to set them free. (John 8:32) As I do that, I need to remember that my prayers don’t force God to do anything, but He often uses my prayers to accomplish His perfect will, often in ways I couldn’t have imagined. The better I remember the faithfulness of God, the less stress I will have!

Father, thank You for this reminder, particularly when stress is quite a topic of conversation and concern. I frequently remember that You told me to rest, relax, and rejoice, but I’m still learning to do it! Thank You indeed for Your faithfulness. Help me truly believe and trust that faithfulness, to the degree that I indeed give thanks in all circumstances, like it says in verse 18. Thank You. Praise God!

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Holiness; November 20, 2018

Posted on November 24, 2018 by jgarrott

1 Thessalonians 4:7-8 For God did not call us to be impure, but to live a holy life. Therefore, he who rejects this instruction does not reject man but God, who gives you his Holy Spirit.

In some circles today this would be considered the height of conceit. What does Paul mean, saying his instructions come from God! That’s the group that denies there is such a thing as absolute truth; everything depends on situational ethics. That is actually the height of stupidity, because it makes man the arbiter of right and wrong. That’s exactly how the devil tempted Eve in the Garden of Eden, and we’re still suckers for it. God is certainly the God of love and grace and mercy, but all of that would be meaningless if there weren’t absolute standards. Today, even in the church it’s very rare for the bride and groom to both be virgins until after the ceremony. And actually, that’s exactly what Paul is talking about in this passage. We need to seek and obey God’s plans for us, even – and particularly – when our flesh isn’t happy about it. We have trouble believing what John said in his first letter: “This is love for God: to obey his commands. And his commands are not burdensome, for everyone born of God overcomes the world. This is the victory that has overcome the world, even our faith.” (1 John 5:3-4) All too often we choose to lose to the world, because that seems more “fun.” We have no grasp of how empty and destructive such “fun” is.

I’ve struggled with this just like everyone else. Now I’m in the position of guiding and encouraging others in their battles. I am never to draw back from stating God’s truth clearly, but I must always do so in love. I have no “high horse” from which to talk down to anyone, but I must make it very clear that forgiveness is not the same as excusing. Even Paul had to deal with people twisting his words and saying that if our sins become occasions for God’s grace, then we should sin all the more! (Romans 6:1-2) Sins damage everyone involved, and it is supremely stupid to choose to sin.

Father, thank You for this reminder. You know who needs to hear this at this point far better than I do. I shy away from legalism, but keep me from shying away from proclaiming Your truth. May this church be characterized by holiness, for Your glory. Thank You. Praise God!

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Fruit of Ministry; November 19, 2018

Posted on November 23, 2018 by jgarrott

1 Thessalonians 3:8 For now we really live, since you are standing firm in the Lord.

Once again Paul is displaying the fact that he is a true minister of the Gospel. The best payback a minister can receive is when those to whom they minister receive the Word and act on it, growing and standing firm in their faith. The NIV says, “Now we really live,” but Japanese has an expression that is very fitting here that translates as, “have a reason to live,” or, “have satisfaction in living.” It seems, from this sentence, that Greek must have something similar. I think perhaps a major reason for ministerial burnout is the mistaken feeling that we have to generate such spiritual growth in our flock ourselves. Ministers are to encourage spiritual growth, consistently speaking the truth in love, but they can’t make it happen in their own strength. The flip side of that is that when those under someone’s ministry do grow, sometimes the minister takes personal pride in that growth and feels they did it, when it is all God’s grace. Paul had some real disappointments in those he worked with. One we know by name is Demas, who seemed quite promising and was mentioned as a “fellow worker” in Colossians 4:14 and Philemon 1:24, but toward the end of Paul’s life Paul said that he “loved this world and has deserted me.” (2 Timothy 4:10) That had to hurt! However, Paul had Timothy and many others who indeed stood firm in their faith and continued to grow, just as he is commending the Thessalonians for doing here. It has rightly been said that all we can take with us to heaven are souls. That is the reward for which true ministers labor.

This certainly applies to me as a missionary pastor, but at the same time it is a somewhat painful subject, because of the uniquely low “rate of return on investment” in Japan. As I was sharing this past Friday at a meeting of alumni of Seinan University, where my father ministered, he prostrated himself on the floor on one occasion and cried out to God, “God, if I am what is standing in the way of revival in Japan, then take me out of the way!” I have had quite a few converts but few true disciples of Jesus Christ develop from my ministry. The Lord reminds me from time to time that I don’t know the results down the line, and some who seem to have fallen away may indeed return to the Lord and bear much fruit that I don’t know about, and I have to trust Him with that. I am to rejoice in the true disciples, but not think that I generated them personally. Rather, I am to keep tabs on my own discipleship! Various things seem to be stirring in the situation here at this point, and I am to look forward with joy to whatever the Lord brings about. At 70 the temptation is to take stock and think of endings, but the Lord assures me He’s not through with me yet, and I am to take comfort and joy in that.

Father, thank You for this reminder. Thank You for those who are true disciples, even though they haven’t remained in this physical location. I pray that all under my ministry may develop into good, “hundred-fold” soil (Matthew 13:3-8) for the salvation of many, even if they seem rocky or weedy at this point, for Your glory. Thank You. Hallelujah!

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Parenting; November 18, 2018

Posted on November 23, 2018 by jgarrott

1 Thessalonians 2:11-12 For you know that we dealt with each of you as a father deals with his own children, encouraging, comforting and urging you to live lives worthy of God, who calls you into his kingdom and glory.

Every genuine minister of God wants his flock to receive the Word of God for what it is, as it talks about in verse 13, but these verses describe what is necessary for that to happen. We see lots of examples of Paul doing exactly this throughout his letters. I think one reason God gave him the gift of singleness was so that he wouldn’t have biological children to distract him from his spiritual children. It’s not at all that biological fathers can’t be good spiritual fathers. Actually, raising biological children can teach you a lot about raising spiritual children, and actually, vice versa. However, Paul was a special case in that regard. Far too many church leaders don’t act like good fathers, and instead expect those under them to serve them in many different ways. Actually, far too many biological fathers do the same with their children. We need to consider what good parenting really looks like, and practice that with our children of any sort. As has been said, people don’t care how much you know until they know how much you care. A good father will pour his life into his children, just as Father God poured Himself out through His Son Jesus, so that we might be saved.

Every time I run into a passage like this in the Bible I am challenged, because I know full well I haven’t been a perfect father either to my biological children or to my spiritual children. Now that my biological children are adults, and parents themselves, my relationship with them is even more similar to my relationship with church members, because I am not in the position of commanding much of anything. I know that God speaks His Word through me and I earnestly desire that it be received for what it is, and it sometimes breaks my heart when that doesn’t happen. I see a great deal of unnecessary suffering in my children because of their failing to receive and apply the Word of God for what it is. One of the hardest things I have had to learn is releasing my children into God’s hands. Even if I fulfill this passage perfectly, their response is their responsibility. I am never to stop praying for them, doing spiritual warfare on their behalf, but it’s up to them to follow through.

Father, thank You for this reminder. Thank You for the wisdom and guidance You’ve given me recently in dealing with some of my spiritual children. I need more of that! It’s hard to wait for Your timing, in their lives as well as mine. I pray that all of us would indeed respond fully to Your invitation into Your kingdom and glory, just as this passage says. Thank You. Praise God!

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