Peace; July 26, 2018

Posted on July 29, 2018 by jgarrott

John 14:27 “Peace I leave with you; my peace I give you. I do not give to you as the world gives. Do not let your hearts be troubled and do not be afraid.”

I could read and meditate on the Upper Room Discourse all day, and really should do so more often than I do. God gives us so much through these words, and just as it says here, that’s not the way the world does. The world’s gifts are by definition temporal and temporary, but what God gives is eternal. The devil hates that and does all he can to interfere, but he can succeed only if we allow him to. I don’t think it’s an accident that Jesus said, “Do not let your hearts be troubled.” Acting through others, the devil can affect our circumstances, but he can’t do anything to us that really matters unless we allow him to do so. Recently it was “big news” that an entertainer was in danger from a drug overdose. God didn’t do that to her, but she allowed the devil to do it by her choices, not just with the particular overdose (any dose of heroin is too much!) but from all the choices that led up to that. As James pointed out, “Every good and perfect gift is from above, coming down from the Father of the heavenly lights, who does not change like shifting shadows.” (James 1:17) That’s exactly what Jesus is talking about here. The peace that He gives indeed is beyond human understanding, (Philippians 4:7) and doesn’t “change like shifting shadows.” Japanese has a distinction in kinds of peace that I think is helpful in understanding what Jesus is saying here. He isn’t talking about a simple lack of conflict. He cautioned us about “wars and rumors of wars,” (Matthew 24:6) and said that He had come to bring “not peace, but a sword.” (Matthew 10:34) The Japanese makes it clear that here He is talking about inner peace, that can’t be achieved by treaties or any other human means. We use Yoga and various other things to try to work it up, but what we need to do is choose to surrender and receive. When we do that, we truly have peace and not fear, regardless of our circumstances.

I’ve had my own struggles with/for peace, so I understand the paradoxical nature of what I’m talking about. God’s peace is a gift, just like faith is a gift, but I have to choose to receive it. As long as I am seeking it from other sources, it won’t come to me. Recently a dear friend lost his wife to cancer, but it was in several ways a relief, because she had suffered from a debilitation neurological disease for several years prior to that, and they both had full assurance of heaven. That brought up various scenarios in my own mind, since Parkinson’s Disease is among my wife’s considerable list of ailments. If I dwell on such things I will be refusing the peace that Jesus offers and provides. As a pastor I am dealing constantly with people who want inner peace but can’t seem to lay hold of it. I am to speak the truth in love to them, just as Jesus did here, and demonstrate through my own life that such peace is possible and available, so that the devil’s lies may be overcome.

Father, thank You for Your peace. Help me indeed walk in it at all times, not allowing the devil any room, so that Your will may be done in and through me for Your glory. Thank You. Praise God!

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Faith; July 25, 2018

Posted on July 27, 2018 by jgarrott

John 14:12 I tell you the truth, anyone who has faith in me will do what I have been doing. He will do even greater things than these, because I am going to the Father.

The entire Upper Room Discourse (John 13:31-17:26) is so incredibly rich that each verse is worthy of deep meditation. Picking and choosing is problematical indeed! This verse is a real show-stopper. On the one hand, it’s one of the most glorious promises in the whole Bible. On the other hand, it’s so big, and so outside of our usual experience, that it seems to us like Jesus was fantasizing, if not outright lying. Along with the two verses that follow this one, it seems like a blank check to accomplish anything at all, and that’s not our experience. Much has been said through the centuries to sort of “explain this away,” but that is being less than honest, intellectually and spiritually. It’s rather like the people who argue that the gifts of the Holy Spirit were just for the 1st Century simply because they’ve never experienced them. When we “make excuses” for these verses we really are making excuses for ourselves, because we don’t live up to them. It is true that our definition of “greater works” probably differs from God’s, but a bigger issue is that of faith. I have a deep appreciation for science, but if I have more faith in science than I do in God, I have missed out on more than I can imagine. Simply going on the track record of those who heard Jesus say this in the first person, it’s obvious that this isn’t “alakazam magic.” Jesus Himself didn’t go around imposing His will on people and events. He healed all who came to Him but not everyone came, and He didn’t chase them down.　He prayed for some things that we still haven’t seen in totality, most notably His prayers for unity among all believers in John 17. He did express the Father’s love in many ways, sometimes gently and sometimes even violently, such as when He cleansed the temple. We aren’t to look at what Jesus said here as a free license to do whatever crosses our minds, but we are to trust that there are no more limits on us than there were on Jesus, if we trust Him fully (have faith) and live in harmony with His heart, His character (in His name).

This is certainly challenging for me. I have seen some miracles, but not many. I serve in the nation with the lowest rate of return on investment in the Gospel in the whole world, following in the footsteps of my parents. Just now as I was reading this yet again I asked God for the salvation of the Japanese people, the nation of Japan. I do believe He desires that, and I cannot begin to explain why it hasn’t yet happened, but I’ve got to believe He can use me in bringing it about. Right now Cathy and I are involved in producing an album entitled Living Hope, to counter the spirit of suicide that is so strong in this nation. I believe that God intends to use it to bring about the salvation of many, and if that spirit’s stronghold is broken, a flood of revival could well wash over this nation. I cannot dictate that to happen, but I must not look at the past and at myself and say it never could. I’ve got to remember that God is big enough and strong enough to use even me, and that’s miraculous indeed.

Father, thank You for this powerful reminder. Thank You that things really are happening toward the production of that album. Thank You for the many people You are drawing in to participate. Things are happening even this week. I pray that Your perfect will would be done in every detail, drawing every participant, for starters, to You and giving You the glory that You alone deserve. Thank You. Hallelujah!

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Love; July 24, 2018

Posted on July 26, 2018 by jgarrott

John 13:34-35 “A new command I give you: Love one another. As I have loved you, so you must love one another. By this all men will know that you are my disciples, if you love one another.”

I quoted this passage in the message just this past Sunday, as a distinctive characteristic of a disciple of Jesus Christ. A Roman historian – today we would call him a biographer or commentator – said of the early Christians, “They really know how to love each other, and they really know how to die.” Could that be said of us today? What the Roman writer may not have realized was that the way the Christians died was as much a demonstration of love as their treatment of each other was. Their love for God, in response to His love for them, made giving up their physical lives a relatively minor thing. Also, as Jesus pointed out shortly after He said this, “Greater love has no one than this, that he lay down his life for his friends.” (John 15:13) The early Christians died rather than betray either their Lord or their friends. Whereas the pace of martyrdom continues to pick up, with more Christians being killed for their faith in the 20th Century than in the previous 19 combined, with even more intensity in the past 18 years, we also have an epidemic of complacent “fat cat” Christians who don’t even want to be inconvenienced for their faith. Both sides of that are sad, but the martyrs at least get a grand welcome in heaven! As Jesus warned us, in the last days, “Because of the increase of wickedness, the love of most will grow cold.” (Matthew 24:12) It has been said that the Church’s weakest area has been in making disciples, and this is a reflection of that. A true disciple loves their Lord, and they love their fellow disciples. It’s as simple as that. Jesus’ words to the church in Ephesus ring out: “Yet I hold this against you: You have forsaken your first love.” (Revelation 2:4) We need to examine our hearts, and repent.

This is to me as much as it is to anyone. I try to walk in love, and my relationship with my wife is a marvel to many who know us, but I am still less than loving at times in some of my interactions, and my obedience to my Lord is not perfect, betraying weakness in my love toward Him. (John 14:15) My mind is quick to come up with excuses for why some people are “unlovable.” None of those excuses hold up, because as Paul pointed out, “But God demonstrates his own love for us in this: While we were still sinners, Christ died for us.” (Romans 5:8) God certainly loved me while I wasn’t lovable, so I have no excuse. Looking back, I am amazed that God never squashed me, or threw me out with the garbage. The more I recognize and appreciate God’s love for me, the more I need to let that love flow through me to those around me, for His glory.

Father, thank You for this reminder. I’m embarrassed that I need it, but grateful that You supply what I need. May I indeed be a clear, open channel of Your love, so that many may be drawn to You for their salvation and Your glory. Thank You. Praise God!

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Presenting Jesus; July 23, 2018

Posted on July 26, 2018 by jgarrott

John 12:20-21 Now there were some Greeks among those who went up to worship at the Feast. They came to Philip, who was from Bethsaida in Galilee, with a request. “Sir,” they said, “we would like to see Jesus.”

From His response, Jesus obviously considered this to be a very significant event in His ministry. His Father may have told Him this would be the indicator that He would be crucified within a couple of days, but we don’t know that for sure. What we do know is that these were Greeks actively seeking Jesus on their own. They weren’t the first Gentiles to come to Jesus. We have the record of the Roman Centurion (Matthew 8) and the Syro-Phoenician woman (Mark 7). However, they both came wanting healing for someone, while these Greeks appear simply to have sought Jesus for who He was. That’s a big deal indeed. It would be some time before even His closest disciples would really grasp that Jesus was the Savior of all mankind, but Jesus knew that His cross wasn’t just for the Jews. That’s why in verse 32 He said that once crucified, He would “draw all men” to Himself. The particular request of the Greeks is worth noting, and has been appropriately inscribed on some pulpits: “Sir, we would see Jesus.” (That’s an older translation, but is slightly more compact than the NIV.) When someone stands in a pulpit to speak, they are not to be presenting themselves, but Jesus, and they must never forget that. Far too many preachers focus more on presenting themselves than on presenting Jesus, and the results aren’t good.

As a preacher myself, this naturally applies to me. In the first place, I need to believe that Jesus can and does manifest Himself through me. Believing that, I’ve got to do my utmost to keep myself out of His way! Just as the styles and even personalities of the various Biblical writers come through, I know that I will “flavor” the Jesus that people see through me, but I must do everything I can to keep that from being a distortion of who He is. There must be no bitterness, for example, or conceit. Anyone who really wants to see Jesus is ripe for salvation, and I must not get in their way. The fact that I’m a missionary is no free pass. Jesus said something amazingly strict to missionaries: “Woe to you, teachers of the law and Pharisees, you hypocrites! You travel over land and sea to win a single convert, and when he becomes one, you make him twice as much a son of hell as you are.” (Matthew 23:15) The fact that I have “dedicated my life to missions” doesn’t override any of the requirements of being a disciple of Jesus Christ. In all humility I must constantly seek to let the Holy Spirit transform me into the likeness of my Lord. (2 Corinthians 3:18)

Father, thank You for this reminder. Help me never forget it! May I be increasingly transparent, not just behind the pulpit but in every moment of my life, so that all who see me may be drawn to Jesus, for their salvation and Your glory. Thank You. Hallelujah!

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Motives; July 22, 2018

Posted on July 23, 2018 by jgarrott

John 12:6 He did not say this because he cared about the poor but because he was a thief; as keeper of the money bag, he used to help himself to what was put into it.

A couple of things speak to me from this. The first is that Judas’ character flaws didn’t begin with his going to the authorities and offering to betray Jesus. That brings up the point that the 12 apostles were ordinary people chosen for extraordinary work. In line with that, it teaches us that titles don’t guarantee character; the higher your position, the closer watch you need to keep on yourself, because the devil is going to be after you to trip other people up. With all of that said, what speaks to me most from this is that public motives and private motives are often very different. We are seeing that constantly right now in all the political uproar. People who are making a big deal of family separations at the US border said nothing at all about it during the previous administration, when it was much worse, which makes their protests very suspect. Lots of proposals that claim to be for the benefit of the general population are really nothing more than power grabs. Just as Judas didn’t really care about the poor, such people really care only about their personal power and revenue stream. Perhaps the saddest thing is that some genuinely well-meaning people are deceived and allow themselves to be manipulated and used by such people. Discernment is always called for. Jesus put it like this: “Therefore be as shrewd as snakes and as innocent as doves.” (Matthew 10:16) That includes keeping watch over our own motives, knowing that only as we are submitted to God can we genuinely resist the devil. (James 4:7)

Of course I’m no exception. Do I want the flock to increase because I want more people to be saved, or because I want to increase my political power and revenue stream? For that matter, do I want to take good pictures so that I can bless people and give glory to God, or to inflate my ego and make money? Motives are always complicated, and rarely completely pure. I’ve got to be honest about that, before God and before people, and seek to allow the Holy Spirit to purify my motives. Money can have a very powerful pull, which is why Jesus talked about it so much. As Paul pointed out, the love of money can generate just about every other kind of evil, just as it did with Judas. (1 Timothy 6:10) God is my supply for everything. The moment I forget that, I lay myself open to all sorts of attacks from the one who only comes to steal, kill, and destroy. (John 10:10)

Father, thank You for this reminder. Help me always seek You, Your kingdom and Your righteousness, above, before, and beyond everything else, so that You may keep my motives straight, for the blessing of those around me and for Your glory. Thank You. Praise God!

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God’s Perspective; July 21, 2018

Posted on July 22, 2018 by jgarrott

John 11:49-50 Then one of them, named Caiaphas, who was high priest that year, spoke up, “You know nothing at all! You do not realize that it is better for you that one man die for the people than that the whole nation perish.”

This is a fascinating interchange, both on the level of the thinking of the Jewish leaders and on the level of God’s plans that are far deeper than we imagine. On the human level, these men were far more afraid of Rome than they were of God. We are tempted in exactly the same way. Appeasement can be very attractive in the short run, because we seek, as Chamberlain said after caving to Hitler, “peace in our time.” It didn’t do Britain any good then, and it doesn’t do us any good now. Today we speak of “throwing someone under the bus,” sacrificing someone in some way for the overall scheme to proceed. However, we can’t evade God’s justice any more than these Jewish leaders could. The other side of this particular situation is that God was using the sinfulness and pettiness of man to accomplish the greatest good since Creation. As John explains in the next two verses, what Caiaphas said was far truer than even he could imagine. That’s why we refer to the day of Jesus’ death as Good Friday. How could it be good when it was an incredibly gruesome travesty of justice? Because it was when Jesus took the penalty for the sins of all mankind, and our sins personally, on Himself, opening the way for our salvation by faith. We sometimes speak of someone “playing 4-dimensional chess,” when they have very insightful calculations and plans. God’s “chess” has infinite dimensions! That’s why we need to trust Him however things look from our perspective.

I have as much need to choose God’s perspective as anyone else. I’ve had a little more practice at doing that than some, but that doesn’t change the level of need. I too get frustrated when things don’t go as I would like, since frustration may be defined as the conflict between how we feel things should be and how we perceive them to be. I’ve got to remember that my perceptions are often inaccurate, because God’s ways and thoughts are so much higher than mine. (Isaiah 55:8-9) I am to stand against the devil and all his works, in my own life and in society, but at the same time I am to rejoice that ultimate victory is assured, because the One who is in me is greater than the devil and all his cohorts put together. (1 John 4:4) God has told me to rest, relax, and rejoice. I will do that only to the degree that I trust Him with the past, the present, and the future, believing that He is indeed omnipotent, omniscient God, and not trying to “grab the wheel” myself.

Father, thank You for this reminder. Thank You for all the past few weeks have held, and indeed, all my life. Thank You for today, and all it holds. Help me indeed trust You enough to obey You completely, however it feels at the moment, so that Your perfect plans may be completed on Your schedule for Your glory. Thank You. Hallelujah!

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What We Need; July 20, 2018

Posted on July 22, 2018 by jgarrott

John 11:25-27 Jesus said to her, “I am the resurrection and the life. He who believes in me will live, even though he dies; and whoever lives and believes in me will never die. Do you believe this?”
“Yes, Lord,” she told him, “I believe that you are the Christ, the Son of God, who was to come into the world.”

Martha essentially asked for her brother’s life to be returned (verses 21-22), so Jesus is here telling her that what she, and her brother, really need is He Himself. When she affirmed that she did indeed receive Him in faith, He was then able to go on and give her her brother back, as she had asked. This actually is directly in line with Jesus’ famous teaching on material provision: “But seek first his kingdom and his righteousness, and all these things will be given to you as well.” (Matthew 6:33) We often miss out on what we really need because we seek secondary or tertiary things instead of what is primary, and that is God Himself. There is a very simple chorus that we sang this past Sunday that just says, “He’s all I need.” That seems simplistic to the point of ridiculousness, but it’s nonetheless true. We let the world and our physical appetites tell us what we need, instead of listening to the One who created us and so really knows what we need. Another chorus that comes to mind goes, “I want more of Jesus: more and more and more. I want more of Jesus than I ever had before. I want more of His great love, so rich and full and free; I want more of Jesus, and He wants more of me.” That was still new when my father sang it back in 1973 or so, but his prayer partner told me he changed the words slightly to say at the end, “So I’ll give Him more of me.” Receiving Christ in totality indeed involves giving Him ourselves in totality.

I am deeply grateful to have had an earthly father who understood this, but that doesn’t guarantee I live it out in my own life. There was a time when I thought my pedigree bought me a privileged place in God’s kingdom. That was a major part of the pride that blocked me from Christ, even though I didn’t recognize it until God tapped me on the shoulder and showed me a mirror. At this point I do seek a number of things, but thankfully they are increasingly related to God’s kingdom and His righteousness. The difficult point at times is distinguishing between what is God and what is merely good. I’ve got to remember the words of David: “Delight yourself in the Lord and He will give you the desires of your heart.” (Psalm 37:4) If my desire, my delight, is Christ and His kingdom, then my heavenly Father will be delighted to give it to me. (Luke 12:32)

Father, thank You for this reminder. I get so distracted so often! Help me indeed focus on You and Your kingdom and let everything else fall into place, so that I too may fit into Your plan for Your glory. Thank You. Praise God!

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Delayed Gratification; July 19, 2018

Posted on July 21, 2018 by jgarrott

John 11:5-6 Jesus loved Martha and her sister and Lazarus. Yet when he heard that Lazarus was sick, he stayed where he was two more days.

This is a very important, instructive incident in the life and ministry of Jesus, and we are very blessed that John recorded it. These two verses should be engraved on the heart of every believer. We tend to accuse God of not loving us when unpleasant things happen, but this passage directly contradicts that. John is very explicit that Jesus loved Martha, Mary, and Lazarus, and it would be foolish indeed to doubt the quality of that love. Actually, verse 15 indicates that Jesus’ actions were also out of His love for His disciples. As a refrigerator magnet I’ve seen expresses it, “Everything God does is love, even when we don’t perceive it.” In this particular instance, it was precisely because Jesus loved the three siblings that He delayed responding to their very real need. We have a lot of trouble wrapping our minds around that! Jesus knew that a resurrection would be a far greater blessing than a healing, particularly because it would purify and strengthen the faith of the two sisters. This is where trust comes in. We want our answers NOW, but even secular psychologists tell us that acceptance of delayed gratification is one of the prime indicators of emotional maturity. Actually, the flip side of that is true as well. Awareness of negative consequences down the road is far more of a deterrent for a mature person than for an immature one. If everything were instant, hardly any of us would grow in any way other than physically. God knows what we really need, in contrast to what we think or feel we need, and in love He provides it for us. When our faith grows to accept that, we receive peace and joy that most of the world knows nothing about.

Yesterday was a minor practicum in this. Cathy and I were at the hospital eight hours for her cataract surgery that took less than an hour. Most of the wait was before they took her to the operating room, because a previous patient’s surgery took longer than expected, but some of it was unexplained. Particularly because the delay took us through lunchtime, it felt even longer than it was! However, the surgery itself went very well, and we spent much of the waiting time in prayer for various friends. The end result was blessing in various ways, some of which we may never recognize, but we trust God that they are real. We have learned that God loves us too much to spoil us, and we need to rejoice in the assurance of that love.

Father, thank You for yesterday and all it held. Thank You for today, and all You have planned for us in it as well. Help us indeed rest, relax, and rejoice in You, taking one step at a time, so that all of Your plans for us may be fulfilled on Your schedule for Your glory. Thank You. Praise God!

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Repentance and Salvation; July 18, 2018

Posted on July 20, 2018 by jgarrott

John 10:27-28 “My sheep listen to my voice; I know them, and they follow me. I give them eternal life, and they shall never perish; no one can snatch them out of my hand.”

What an enormously comforting Scripture! However, it can make you wonder how many “false sheep” there are out there. One of the earliest and most fundamental definitions of “Christian” is very simply, “Christ follower.” There are sadly many people who follow religious tradition but don’t personally know Christ, much less follow Him. The benefits to following Christ are literally eternal, as He says here, but the “initiation” is by repentance, and we don’t like to do that. In a socially Christian nation, far too many people are baptized simply because it’s the thing to do, without any personal awareness of being a sinner in need of salvation. That is true even in groups that don’t practice infant baptism, but obviously it happens more easily in groups that do. The good news for such people that repentance is still possible, the moment they open their heart to recognize their need and God’s supply. There’s no telling how many “almost Christians” there are! For those who do follow Christ, and thus qualify as His sheep indeed, the challenge is to let people know the offer of salvation is open to them as well, without skipping over the essential step of repentance and faith. (Mark 1:15) If we will do that, the flock will continue to grow, to the joy and glory of our Shepherd.

I have someone who has indicated he wants to be baptized, probably within the next month, but I haven’t confirmed his repentance. I’ve got to do that! I have baptized some people in the past who said the right words, but then didn’t show any real evidence of following Christ afterwards. I don’t want that! In contrast, last night I attended the wake of a woman I met 37 years ago. Since before I met her she had failing kidneys, and endured dialysis for over 30 years. However, her trademark was her smile, which came from her assurance of salvation. I found out last night that she was saved through the nurses at Kyoto Baptist Hospital, where she was first treated as a single young woman. It was a joy last night to know that her husband and daughter also follow Christ, and the peace and even joy that were evident in them both, and particularly her daughter, were a clear testimony of the reality of this passage. I too need to rejoice in the assurance that no one can snatch me out of the hand of my Lord. (Romans 8:38-39)

Father, thank You for this reminder. Thank You for the assurance with which we can go to Cathy’s cataract surgery this morning, even though we’ve heard some anxiety-inducing things recently about such surgery. I do ask for wisdom and skill on the part of the medical staff, but most of all I ask for Your complete presence and protection, so that Your will and Yours alone may be accomplished, for our blessing and for Your glory. Thank You. Praise God!

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Jesus vs. the Devil; July 17, 2018

Posted on July 20, 2018 by jgarrott

John 10:10 “The thief comes only to steal and kill and destroy; I have come that they may have life, and have it to the full.”

I think it would be impossible to overstate the importance of the 1st half of John 10. This characterization of the devil is something we need to keep in mind when viewing the world around us, and we also need to remember how Jesus contrasted Himself with the devil. The devil is a master of temptation, appealing to anything at all to get us to deviate from wholehearted devotion to our Creator. However, anything that pulls us away from the God who loves us means loss for us, whatever it looks like in the short term. It is well recognized that the devil uses physical pleasure to tempt us, but sometimes he even uses our higher impulses, like a desire for justice. Many “social justice warriors” today are bringing loss to themselves and to those around them, and even to the very people they claim to fight for, by letting the devil deceive them as to what the situation really is, and thus, what is really just and right. In contrast, Jesus came to make our lives more abundant, in the ways that really count instead of by the standards of this world. It hardly takes much depth of perception to realize how empty the lives are of many of those who are admired by the world and overflow with material things. A life that is centered on Jesus, walking with Him, is abundant beyond the imagination of anyone who rejects the Gospel. The devil lies to us, to the point that much of the world views Christianity as restrictive, keeping us from the “fun stuff,” when in fact the Bible is simply warning us about the poisons and the cliff edges that abound in this life. Keeping this verse firmly in mind can go a long way toward protecting us from the devil’s deceptions.

I quote this verse frequently, because I’ve tasted its reality. I have had non-Christians bring their friends to meet me because “I enjoy living.” At the same time, I have allowed the devil to steal peace and joy from me by being anxious about any of a number of things. I teach God’s truth, but I need to be reminded of it myself! A verse I quote even more often than this one is John 16:33. “I have told you these things, so that in me you may have peace. In this world you will have trouble. But take heart! I have overcome the world.” I have found that peace and joy come by the conscious choice to trust God, rather than the world or even my senses or intellect. God is totally, absolutely, trustworthy, but the devil does everything he can to keep me and others from believing that. I am to submit to God and resist the devil, as James tells us. (James 4:7)

Father, thank You for this reminder. Recently the enemy has been trying to steal my peace and joy with various little things. Help me see through his tricks and receive the abundance that You have prepared for me in every area that matters, for Your glory. Thank You. Praise God!

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