The State of America; September 4, 2018

Posted on September 7, 2018 by jgarrott

Romans 1:28 Furthermore, since they did not think it worth while to retain the knowledge of God, he gave them over to a depraved mind, to do what ought not to be done.

This whole section seems like such a detailed description of current American culture that it’s depressing! It is naturally hated by those it most accurately describes, and was deliberately denigrated by a previous president as “obscure,” when it is entirely mainstream to Biblical thought. This particular verse describes the mechanism by which society got this way. Verses 18-20 talk about God’s general revelation to all mankind, but America was founded far more specifically on the Bible, as many documents of the time attest. Today, the Freedom From Religion Foundation leads the charge to deny that the founding fathers were anything more than deists at best, but that is an example of exactly what this verse is talking about. Once prayer was excluded from public schools the process accelerated at a great rate, as those who hate God have tried to keep others from even knowing about Him. The irony is that today, public expression of faith is much easier in non-Christian countries like Japan than it is in the US! There are challenges to discipleship in every nation, but today, American believers are being called to take their nation back from those who have almost succeeded in transforming it into something unrecognizable to the founding fathers,

Some American Christians view me as particularly “noble” for ministering in Japan, but in some ways I think it’s easier than trying to live in America. For example, I’ve never seen a “gay pride” parade in Japan, on TV or otherwise. I teach in a private school group that is by no means Christian, but I am free to pray openly for my students at the beginning of every class, and have done so for over 36 years. I follow events in the US on the Internet, and am heartbroken that the nation of my ancestors (for a few generations at least) has fallen into such dire straits. I do see hope at the present juncture, but I am certainly seeing that elections have consequences. I do vote absentee, and I sign online petitions and the like, but the most important thing I can do is pray. The election coming up in November is indeed a vitally important one, since on a human scale it will determine the trajectory of the nation for at least the next six years. I am to pray and encourage every disciple of Jesus in America to vote for those who will uphold Biblical principles, rather than allow those who despise the Bible and the God of the Bible to be ascendant. At the same time, I’ve got to remember that God is indeed sovereign, and pray His mercy on the nation. Passivity is not an option for a follower of Jesus Christ.

Father, I do get worked up over this, but the Bible is full of examples of saints who have done the same over things in their day. Help me remember that You are indeed God, and even as I am active in doing what You desire of me, to rest, relax, and rejoice in You, for Your glory. Thank You. Praise God!

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Leadership; September 3, 2018

Posted on September 5, 2018 by jgarrott

Acts 27:35-36 After he said this, he took some bread and gave thanks to God in front of them all. Then he broke it and began to eat. They were all encouraged and ate some food themselves.

Often leadership requires setting a concrete, obvious example. A two week storm is hard for me to imagine, but thinking about it, they were in a sailing ship that was being carried along with the storm, rather than being in a stationary position for the storm to pass over. The more you think about that, the easier it is to understand why they had so largely lost hope. Not eating was an expression of that. After all, why eat when you’re about to die? To counter that, Paul took the very simple, positive step of not only urging them to eat, but of eating in front of them. Human beings are very interesting. Simply seeing someone do something can make us want to do it too. Seeing Paul eat triggered their forgotten appetites, and they ate too. (Incidentally, that’s why it’s far easier to fast with others, or else completely in private, than it is to be with others who aren’t fasting. Women who can fast while preparing meals for their families are amazing!) The same thing applies to various other things. When the leader expresses courtesy and thoughtfulness toward others, those they lead are inspired to do likewise. When the leader sets aside devotional time every morning, those they lead realize they can do the same. Good leadership is never just words, but action, with words to explain it as necessary.

I have always been somewhat ambivalent about leadership, and that has been a drag on my ministry. I have hesitated to talk about what I do in private, out of a fear that it will just come across as bragging. I am a man of words, and I have tended to tell people to do things without walking alongside them to show them how. Part of that comes from the huge advantage I was given of growing up in such a strongly Christian family, but part of it is also from a fundamental laziness, a resistance to putting out the effort to guide people in something that comes easily for me. That’s certainly not good! That has manifested itself in an unwillingness to delegate, because I’ve felt I could do things better, and it was easier to do it myself than to teach someone else to do it. That’s not leadership! I turn 70 in less than two weeks, and I’m finally getting this through my head! I feel sure the reason others who were called to ministry in this church have left to minister elsewhere has largely been because of my failures in mentoring and leading. Repentance means change, and by God’s grace I intend to repent indeed.

Father, thank You for this strong reminder. Thank You that Cathy and I will be in Tokyo on the 23rd, rather than here, so the believers will see from experience what is involved in conducting a worship service. I pray that those who are able to be here will choose to participate fully, as a growing experience for them and for the overall health of the church, for Your glory. Thank You. Praise God!

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Asking for People; September 2, 2018

Posted on September 4, 2018 by jgarrott

Acts 27:23-24 “Last night an angel of the God whose I am and whom I serve stood beside me and said, ‘Do not be afraid, Paul. You must stand trial before Caesar; and God has graciously given you the lives of all who sail with you.'”

When we think of God giving people things, we don’t often think of it in terms of people or lives. However, as this story illustrates, He sometimes does exactly that. True to what the angel said, they had a very thorough shipwreck, but with no loss of life, which was pretty remarkable, especially long before the invention of the life jacket. When God gives us people, it’s never as slaves. We use the expression, “God gave me a wife,” but a wife is not a possession in the sense of a car or even a hamburger. Some people actually treat their spouse that way, but that is tragic for everyone concerned. A Psalmist spoke prophetically, “Ask of me, and I will make the nations your inheritance, the ends of the earth your possession.” (Psalm 2:8) In those days, “nations” spoke more of people groups than of territory, which is why that verse also speaks of “the ends of the earth.” That verse is often quoted in terms of world evangelism, very appropriately, I think. However, Paul’s situation was much more immediate. I would be interested to know how many of those aboard that ship eventually came to faith in Christ. With all that followed, it could well have been 100%! However, it is clear from the context that the angel was referring to physical life, and that was certainly granted. We should not hesitate to ask God for people, for lives. In times of disaster, such as Paul faced, it is entirely appropriate. It is also appropriate to pray for workers to come alongside you as you serve the Lord. Jesus said, “Ask the Lord of the harvest, therefore, to send out workers into his harvest field.” (Matthew 9:38) (Such prayer, however, must also include willingness to be a harvest worker yourself.) It is also appropriate to pray for a spouse. In none of these situations do the people involved become property; we must remember that we are given to them as much as they are given to us.

This is very close to home for me. God gave me a wife over 49 years ago, but He also gave me to her. He has given the people of Japan to me (though I certainly haven’t seen that in fullness) but He has also given me to them. Right now I am praying for co-laborers for the harvest, but I must also remember that I am to be a mentor to whomever the Lord provides. Around 25 years ago I was in a rather intense prayer meeting and I felt the Lord saying to me, “Ask for whatever you want.” I asked for a particular individual, and in short order he made a very clear commitment to Christ that has continued to this day. Maybe I should have asked for the whole city! I’ve got to remember that what God cares about is people, and focus myself on them after first focusing on my Lord. That’s exactly what Jesus said when specifying the 1st and 2nd Commandments. (Matthew 28:37-40)

Father, thank You for this reminder. There are so many distractions! Help me indeed desire eternal life for the people around me, not to inflate myself but for their salvation and Your glory. May I seek workers, not to take the load off of me but so that many more may be brought into Your kingdom. Thank You. Hallelujah!

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Response to the Gospel; September 1, 2018

Posted on September 4, 2018 by jgarrott

Acts 24:25 As Paul discoursed on righteousness, self-control and the judgment to come, Felix was afraid and said, “That’s enough for now! You may leave. When I find it convenient, I will send for you.”

It says in verse 22 that Felix was “well acquainted with the Way,” so it’s no surprise that when Paul talked about the particulars of what that meant in terms of lifestyle, it essentially “scared the pants off of him.” The tragedy is that instead of repenting, he avoided the subject. The greatest tragedy of mankind is that so many, when presented with the Gospel, choose the pleasures of the flesh over the the eternal riches of glory in Christ Jesus. Genuine ignorance is one thing, but in many countries very few could honestly make that claim. Besides, as Paul wrote to the Romans, God has revealed Himself through nature and the like, so people really have no valid excuse. (Romans 1:20) Felix had less excuse than most, living in Judea and knowing about the activities of the Church. When Paul pointed out that he himself was going to have to stand before Almighty God and answer for how he had lived, he ducked the subject. The very next verse says that he compounded his situation by seeking a bribe! Salvation is available to all through repentance and faith, but the gift of faith is dependent on our choice to repent. Felix wouldn’t make that choice, and so condemned himself.

I’ve been in Paul’s situation here numbers of times. I recall one time I made a specific appointment with the Chairman of the Board of the private school group where I teach, and laid out a clear Gospel presentation. He had known me for about 20 years by that point, so I’m sure it wasn’t a surprise to him, but he firmly rejected what I had to say, saying that he was satisfied with his religion. Like so many other Japanese, he considered religion to be largely irrelevant to his daily life, and he had no concept of the difference between religion and a personal relationship with your Creator. The best I can say of that encounter is that his blood isn’t on my hands. (Ezekiel 3 and 33) I left his office very sad, but I am never to stop sharing the Gospel with all who will hear, because God alone knows who will receive it.

Father, thank You for the Biblical record, and for the awareness that human nature hasn’t changed since Creation. Help me never give up, but rather proclaim Christ, and yes, righteousness and self-control and judgment, so that as many as will may recognize their need and Your provision, and so repent and receive Your salvation, for Your glory. Thank You. Praise God!

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Pastoral Ministry; August 31, 2018

Posted on September 2, 2018 by jgarrott

Acts 20:20-21 “You know that I have not hesitated to preach anything that would be helpful to you but have taught you publicly and from house to house. I have declared to both Jews and Greeks that they must turn to God in repentance and have faith in our Lord Jesus.”

Here we have Paul’s self-description of his ministry, and it is clear and honorable. Many in ministry could not make such a claim. Paul was a Teacher, among the gifts mentioned in Romans 12:6-8, and what he taught, where he taught, and whom he taught are worth noting. Of course his whole ministry was based on the message of repentance and faith, but he wasn’t a “one-note Charlie” about it, but taught any and every aspect of living as a disciple of Jesus Christ. Looking over the record of what he taught, we can see that sometimes he was comforting, sometimes he was encouraging, and sometimes he was downright severe in correcting. However, all of that was for the benefit of those to whom he ministered, and not to inflate himself. When you think about where he taught, his description could aptly be summarized as, everywhere. Essentially, he never stopped teaching. Other people have different gifts, but no one, once they have committed to Jesus as Lord, has “time off” from being His disciple. That’s not at all to say that we aren’t to rest or take vacations, but our availability to Christ must not be “on again, off again” in any respect. Too often we think of ministry as a job rather than as a privilege, a lifestyle. We can’t “clock in” and then “clock out” of following Jesus. The last point of whom Paul taught is also worth noting. We tend to limit our interactions to people who are like us (and people who like us) but Paul placed no such limits on himself. He got into some real arguments over the issue! Society today is fragmented in many different ways, but every individual in whatever segment is loved by God and needs His Word. Different people are called to minister to different groups, but we aren’t to refuse to minister because someone doesn’t fit into a particular group. God’s love is totally inclusive, and we need to reflect that.

I don’t think I’m being conceited to say that this is a fairly accurate description of my own ministry here in Omura. I have no room for pride, because I certainly haven’t had the results Paul had, but by the grace of God I have been faithful. I too am Teacher gifting, to the point that once they met me through my interpreting for them, Don and Katie Fortune started using me as an example of that gifting in their teaching on Motivational Gifts. I too will teach anywhere and everywhere, not hesitating to stand before large groups but also giving as much, if not more, on a one-to-one basis. It can be hard to get me to shut up! I feel I am sent to the Japanese, but over the years I have baptized people of several nations and ministered to people of even more. Frankly, there have been times when I have struggled with that, resenting people of other nations taking my time and attention when my heart is with Japan and the Japanese, but God has dealt with me on that issue. I am to interact with each person, whoever they are, as someone Jesus died for, and respond accordingly.

Father, thank You for this reminder. Thank You also that I won’t be here for one Sunday next month, and then for two or three Sundays in March, so that the church can be weaned off of their dependence on me. Thank You for the Coaching seminars to make me aware of the dangers of such dependence. May the believers indeed learn to feed themselves and stand tall in Your service, being far more fruitful than I ever could be by myself, for the salvation of many and for Your glory. Thank You. Hallelujah!

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Time; August 30, 2018

Posted on September 1, 2018 by jgarrott

Acts 19:10 This went on for two years, so that all the Jews and Greeks who lived in the province of Asia heard the word of the Lord.

I find this verse particularly interesting in light of Acts 16:6, where it says they were “kept by the Holy Spirit from preaching the Word in the province of Asia.” God has His timing for everything, and when we try to deviate from that, things don’t go well. As theoretical physicists will tell you, the whole matter of time is a mystery. There are serious scientists today who say that time travel might be possible, and they aren’t just talking about our one-second-at-a-time march into the future. The only one who understands it all is God who created it, so it makes sense to seek to follow His schedule. We tend to get all tied in knots over time issues, and paradoxically waste a lot of time in the process! We measure lives by time, and are responsible as stewards of the time we have been given. Since no one knows ahead of time just how much time they have, that calls for active trust and obedience. History has many examples of people who did remarkable things at unusual ages, from Moses and Grandma Moses who had major careers that started in advanced age to people like Mozart who had major accomplishments while quite young. We don’t get to choose which end of the spectrum we fall on, so we need to be sensitive and obedient to the Holy Spirit as to what to do when.

On the one hand I have been a stickler for time, hating to be late for anything and resenting it when others are late, but on the other hand I have shown myself to be very adept at wasting time. The Internet has certainly boosted that part of my life! The older I get the faster time seems to pass, because we experience time in proportion to how much time we’ve already experienced. When I was in the 1st grade, a year was 1/6 of my whole life. For me right now, a year is 1/70 of my life. I need to recognize that every bit of my life is in God’s hands, and use all of it faithfully doing His will on His schedule for His glory.

Father, thank You for this reminder. Thank You for what You enabled me to get done in my unstructured day yesterday, and for what You have for me today. Again, my planner is blank, but You have my day planned. Help me rest, relax, and rejoice in You, as a faithful steward of all You have placed in my hands, for Your glory. Thank You. Praise God!

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Cross-cultural Evangelism; August 29, 2018

Posted on September 1, 2018 by jgarrott

Acts 17:23 “Now what you worship as something unknown I am going to proclaim to you.”

Paul adjusted his presentation to his audience. In his first missionary journey with Barnabas they always went to the synagogue first, because the Old Testament gave them an excellent entry point for presenting the Gospel, since there are so many prophecies of the Messiah. However, the synagogue in Athens gave him little exposure, so he had to use a different approach. I have heard some people claim that this approach was not good, since the results were sparse. (Acts 17:34) The point, however, is that God gave him an opportunity, he used it, and he did get some results in any case. He had a really rough audience, because these people had just about heard it all, and to them, Paul was just another “babbler.” (verse 18) Since these were philosophers, used to principles of logic and argument that we still recognize today, Paul laid out his case very logically, quoting Greek writers (verse 28) to generate a point of connection. When you think about it, the fact that any at all of his audience were converted is quite remarkable, since there were no miracles to shock people into receptivity.

I feel like Athens is a good parallel for ministry in Japan. Guinness claimed a few years ago that Japan has the highest average intelligence of any ethnic group, which would fit the philosophers of Athens. Also, the Japanese tend to treat religious ideas as perhaps interesting, but of very little practical impact on their daily lives. That too seems to fit what Paul found in Athens. (The Athenians loved to talk but did little about it, as verse 21 says.) I am faced with people who are often superstitious, concerned about whether something is “auspicious” or not, but who have little if any guiding principles in their lives, simply going by tradition and habit. Japan too is filled with shrines and temples, each one dedicated to a different deity of some sort. Preaching a singular Creator who loves them personally sounds very foreign to them, and they tend to be very afraid of becoming “un-Japanese.” Those obstacles are formidable, but as our Verse for the Year proclaims, nothing is too difficult for God. (Jeremiah 32:27) I am never to give up, but allow God to show me the right approach for each situation, not trying to apply set formulas but listening obediently to the Holy Spirit. If I will do that, He will get through to those He has chosen, and even use me in the process.

Father, thank You for this reminder. Thank You for all that You have been and are doing in and around us. Thank You for helping me realize just how little framework most Japanese have for understanding and receiving the Gospel. Enable me to break it down and get it into their context so that the barriers may be overcome. Help me indeed nurture the brother who was just baptized, as well as reach out to those others who are showing signs of being ready, so that there may be solid harvest in Your kingdom indeed, for Your glory. Thank You. Praise God!

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Family Salvation; August 28, 2018

Posted on August 30, 2018 by jgarrott

Acts 16:31-34 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. At that hour of the night the jailer took them and washed their wounds; then immediately he and all his family were baptized. The jailer brought them into his house and set a meal before them; he was filled with joy because he had come to believe in God—he and his whole family.

I really think verse 31 is one of the most quoted verses in the Bible in Japan. That’s because so many Christians are the only believer in their family, and they naturally want their whole family to be saved. I think the “missing link” in many cases, at least, is verse 32. That is to say, no one ever speaks the word of the Lord to the other members of the family. I know of many Christians who were actively cut off from their families after they “came out” as believers. I’m reminded of something I’ve heard recently, of conservative gay people saying it was much harder to come out as conservative than it was to come out as gay. In this particular instance of the jailer and his family, everyone had been made receptive by the earthquake and aftermath, so everyone listened intently. Sadly, that’s not the case for so many Japanese believers; their family members have no desire or inclination to hear about Christ. That can change. The man I baptized recently has an older sister who was the first Christian in the family, and his younger brother’s wife is a member of this church. The sister has prayed for her brother for 40 years! Naturally, she was overcome when she got the news of his baptism. Now they need to “gang up” in prayer for the younger brother! That said, verse 31 doesn’t mean that one person’s faith saves multiple people; we are all individually responsible to commit to Jesus as Lord.

This is something I have struggled with over the years. I was raised in a strongly Christian family so it wasn’t so personally significant, but even I have relatives who don’t seem to have a personal relationship with Christ. Ministering in Japan, the situation is as I’ve already described, with few Christian families. That’s why so many people cling to verse 31! Japanese society greatly values external unity, and someone changing religions greatly disturbs that. People value temporal calm more than eternal salvation! There’s a proverb that says it’s not scary to cross against the light if you do it as a group. That, along with a very strong sense of personal privacy, makes genuine personal evangelism very difficult. Someone might notice the increased peace and happiness in a friend or family member, but they aren’t likely to ask about it. It often takes a crisis before they will do so, reaching out to someone who seems to have the peace they are so acutely aware they lack. Even when that happens, the Christian in that case is often unprepared to share Christ in a way that makes any sense at all to the person asking. That’s where I come in. I need to prepare the believers to “Always be prepared to give an answer to everyone who asks you to give the reason for the hope that you have.” (1 Peter 3:15) The man I just baptized says that it was his sister-in-law’s recovery from severe clinical depression, and her insistence that Jesus got all the credit, that brought him to faith, to his own considerable surprise.

Father, I do ask for more Christian families in Japan. I pray that the believers would be emboldened to share Christ with their families and friends, not fearing the rejection that might actually come. May they understand that the Holy Spirit is provided to empower them as witnesses, and rejoice to be filled and used by Him for the salvation of many, for Your glory. Thank You. Hallelujah!

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Guidance; August 27, 2018

Posted on August 30, 2018 by jgarrott

Acts 16:7 When they came to the border of Mysia, they tried to enter Bithynia, but the Spirit of Jesus would not allow them to.

It is fascinating and very instructive that we here have a clear case of negative guidance. We tend to think of, and desire, guidance as something positive, saying, “Do this.” However, sometime God is all about “Don’t do that.” We know from the following verses that God was intending for them to cross over into Europe for the first time, which was a momentous occasion, but they couldn’t see it from their perspective. Closed doors can be as important as open ones! We have no indication exactly how the Holy Spirit kept them from preaching in Asia, (verse 6) or would not allow them to enter Bithynia, but we have all, I think, experienced God keeping us from things that were not in His plan. The point is not to be anxious, but go with the flow of the Holy Spirit. It’s not that we aren’t to make plans or work toward goals, but it is very much that we are to allow God to clarify our vision of what those plans need to be, what those goals are. Paul was very much a “Type A” personality, and this probably wasn’t an easy lesson for him to learn. God had to use some pretty strong methods to get his attention, knocking him off of his horse on the way to Damascus (Acts 9) and having him arrested in Jerusalem ant taken as a prisoner to Rome. (Acts 21 and following) He had wanted to go to Rome, (Romans 1:11-15) but not that way! However, had he not been a prisoner in Rome, he would probably not have written several of the letters that are now part of the New Testament. Like Paul, we need to accept that God always has the best idea. Sometimes He communicates that to us ahead of time, but more often not, so we are to walk in obedient trust.

I have no grounds whatsoever to look down on Paul. God has used all sorts of things to guide me, even my own mistakes and even sins, and He has been absolutely faithful. I seem to have far less drive than Paul did, so some of the things God has done have been simply to get me off my butt. It’s hard to steer a car that isn’t moving! I face decisions all the time, some of which I don’t even recognize as decisions, so I’ve got to maintain an attitude of humble obedience. He has told me to rest, relax, and rejoice, but sometimes I have trouble doing that. The current album project is a case in point. Yesterday’s recording session had various good things about it, but some things that concerned me. It remains to be seen whether the recording that was made will be worth using, but I need to praise God for the evangelism/witnessing we were able to do. God is going to bring that album project to glorious fruition, but I’ve got to let Him do it in His way for His glory.

Father, thank You for all that Yesterday held, and not just the recording session. Thank You that the newly-baptized brother left his Bible here after the service, but quickly realized it and will be coming today to get it, so I will have some private coaching time with him. Thank You for all the other things You have planned for today. May we recognize Your plans and follow them with joy, for Your glory. Thank You. Praise God!

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Salvation; August 26, 2018

Posted on August 28, 2018 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 made no distinction between us and them, for he purified their hearts by faith.”

Once again Peter comes through on behalf of God’s plan for the Gentiles. God’s plans are really very interesting. Peter ministered largely to Jews, yet God used him to establish the principle that Gentiles are equal with Jews before God. Paul was the “Apostle to the Gentiles,” yet he is the one whom God used to establish clearly, in Romans 9-11, that He is not through with the Jews, and they are no lower in the kingdom of God than Gentiles are. Entrenched attitudes can be very hard to change, and that was what God was dealing with here. By the time you get to verse 11, you can practically hear the passion in Peter’s voice as he makes the case for salvation by grace through faith. Thinking about it, Paul was essentially quoting Peter in his famous statement on the subject. (Ephesians 2:8-9) It’s not that he was intentionally quoting, but rather that the Holy Spirit was being consistent in speaking through multiple messengers. (He does that a lot.) This whole incident arose because we are so prone to want to be able to take credit in some way for our salvation, but God makes it clear it’s all of Him. Sadly, even today churches put up all sorts of “performance tests” for those they will accept. Alcohol and tobacco use immediately come to mind. Questions of wisdom and stewardship arise with those, but they can’t be legitimate tests of salvation. The Bible stresses moderation, not abstinence, when it comes to alcohol, and tobacco originated in North America, so is naturally unmentioned in the Bible. There are behaviors that God clearly and explicitly forbids, and clinging to those certainly raises huge red flags when it comes to the Lordship of Jesus in someone’s heart and life, but the principle remains: “For it is by grace you have been saved, through faith—and this not from yourselves, it is the gift of God— not by works, so that no-one can boast.” (Ephesians 2:8-9)

As a pastor I have to keep reminding myself of this. Believers make all sorts of foolish choices, as do I, but that doesn’t change the fact of their salvation, or mine. I like what one evangelist said God told him: “You catch ’em, I’ll clean ’em.” The image of fishing is very apt. My job is indeed to make disciples, which does involve all sorts of performance issues, but I must not think, much less say, that a performance failure impinges on salvation. We do have to answer before God for our actions, and our behavior has a huge influence on how much and how well we enjoy the blessings God has for us, but those things are not the same as salvation itself. A few days ago I talked to someone whom I baptized years ago who, by his own admission, is not living a life pleasing to God, but whether he is saved or not is between him and God; I am not the judge.

Father, I’ve long struggled with the issues of holiness and legalism. Help me be a pure instrument of Your grace to all, so that I may not get in the way of their salvation but be fully useful to You in Your harvest, for Your glory. Thank You. Praise God!

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