Reigning; September 9, 2018

Posted on September 13, 2018 by jgarrott

Romans 5:17 For if, by the trespass of the one man, death reigned through that one man, how much more will those who receive God’s abundant provision of grace and of the gift of righteousness reign in life through the one man, Jesus Christ.

Frankly, Paul’s logic gets a little convoluted in this whole passage. The major point that I manage to come away with is that Jesus – His life, death, and resurrection – trumps everything that came before that, and that’s good news. One thing that Paul rightly keeps stressing throughout not just Romans but all his letters is that salvation is a gift of grace, not something we have earned or ever could earn. Here he is pointing out that Adam condemned all his descendants through his sin, but God’s gracious gift nullifies all of that, for those who will receive it. We have the proverb, “Nothing is more sure than death and taxes,” but in Christ, eternal life is even more sure. Physical death remains, until God makes all things new, (Revelation 21:5) but in Christ, spiritual, eternal life becomes a present reality. Paul uses the term, “reign,” to describe all this, but absolute monarchies are rare indeed at this point, so we don’t relate very well. Saying that death reigned simply means that nobody escaped, and we can understand and relate to that. However, Jesus DID escape, after having gone through death for us. That means that those who are in Him come out on top, regardless of what we go through in the mean time; we share in His eternal life. That is the best news there possibly could be!

I find myself almost regretting including this passage in the readings, out of concern that it will confuse people. However, the Holy Spirit can be trusted to explain this to all who are open to Him. I find myself reminded of one of the simplest choruses I ever learned: “We win, we win; Hallelujah! We win! I read the back of the book, and we win!” That’s all there is to it, but sometimes that’s precisely the message we need to hear. My faith has grown and matured over the years, but I am still subject to negative emotions and simple exhaustion. When those come, I need to remind myself, as I remind others, that Jesus has it all taken care of, so all we need to do is abide in Him. There is so much going on, on many different levels, that I am tempted to shout the title of a Broadway production of quite a few years ago: “Stop the World! I want to get off!” I need to remember that in Christ, I reign, and so rest, relax, and rejoice.

Father, thank You for speaking to me through this pretty dense passage. I pray that all who are using this Scripture list would likewise be blessed, hearing what Your Spirit is saying to them, for Your glory. Thank You. Praise God!

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Suffering; September 8, 2018

Posted on September 9, 2018 by jgarrott

Romans 5:2-5 And we rejoice in the hope of the glory of God. Not only so, but we also rejoice in our sufferings, because we know that suffering produces perseverance; perseverance, character; and character, hope. And hope does not disappoint us, because God has poured out his love into our hearts by the Holy Spirit, whom he has given us.

Verse divisions are arbitrary, and didn’t appear until the Geneva Bible around 1560. They make passages much easier to find, but they can also interrupt the flow of thought. Here, verse three makes it clear it is a continuation from what comes before. Rejoicing in the hope of the glory of God seems like a no-brainer. Who wouldn’t rejoice in that? However, Paul immediately ties in rejoicing in our sufferings, and that is where Christian thought differs from “natural” thinking. The Japanese translation is careful to use the same term for sufferings here as is used in Jesus’ famous statement in John 16:33. “In this world you will have trouble. But take heart! I have overcome the world.” Paul wasn’t present in the upper room that night, but the Holy Spirit had said the same thing to him that Jesus had spoken before His crucifixion. The Japanese term is slightly unusual, not coming up with those characters when entered phonetically, because the first of the two characters is specifically the one for a patient, as in a sick person. Living in a fallen world, we aren’t guaranteed freedom from disease. Paul himself was acutely aware of that. (2 Corinthians 12:7-10) Here, he explains why God allows such things, even though they will be taken away when God makes all things new. (Revelation 21:4) As has been said, God is far more interested in our character than our comfort! Paul elsewhere points out, “Therefore we do not lose heart. Though outwardly we are wasting away, yet inwardly we are being renewed day by day. For our light and momentary troubles are achieving for us an eternal glory that far outweighs them all.” (2 Corinthians 4:16-17) In other words, whatever is going on, we can rejoice!

This isn’t hard to teach on, and indeed it is a joy to do so, but it isn’t always easy to follow through in doing it. As often as I tell others about this truth, I still need to be reminded of it myself. That’s all part of doing God’s Word and not just listening to it. (James 1:22) I have occasional physical challenges, but my wife has a list of them, all the way up to Parkinson’s Disease. Often I’d rather I were the one in pain! However, all she has been through has given her a truly magnetic character, and people are drawn to her rather remarkably. The challenge is in seeking to point people to Jesus, instead of just to Cathy. The challenge for me is in encouraging her to rejoice, without making light of her suffering in any way. I’m not smart enough to do that but God is, and I’m to trust Him.

Father, thank You for this reminder. Thank You for all that is going on in and around us. Sometimes it feels like a whirlwind! I ask for guidance and protection as we go to Kumamoto today, particularly with the forecast rain. Help us indeed rest, relax, and rejoice in You whatever is going on around us, for Your glory. Thank You. Praise God!

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Hope and Faith; September 7, 2018

Posted on September 9, 2018 by jgarrott

Romans 4:18 Against all hope, Abraham in hope believed and so became the father of many nations, just as it had been said to him, “So shall your offspring be.”

I don’t know how clear this is in Greek, but in English I think we have a hard time wrapping our minds around it. How often do we use the phrase, “Against all hope?” The Japanese expresses it as, “At a time when you couldn’t hope.” Paul goes to some length to point out just how hopeless Abraham’s situation was, but we still don’t think about it very often. Perhaps the most comparable situation was that of the disciples after Jesus’ crucifixion. Most if not all of them in fact did not believe, until Jesus personally appeared to them and demonstrated that He had risen. Interestingly, that should be a huge encouragement for us in whatever “hopeless” situation we find ourselves. God isn’t limited to the “possible!” We aren’t to be presumptuous or feel entitled, but if God said it, that settles it, period. Along with that, we aren’t to try to figure out how God might accomplish something. As He told Isaiah, His ways are indeed higher than ours, and His thoughts than our thoughts. (Isaiah 55:9) One time I gave a prophecy to a couple that they would have a child, but said that God wasn’t making it clear to me that it would be the man’s, genetically, but that it would be the woman’s. Since the woman had had a hysterectomy, they naturally thought I had completely missed the boat. However, not so long after that, the woman’s daughter by a previous marriage, who had gotten onto drugs, had a baby she obviously couldn’t care for, and the couple legally adopted the baby, fulfilling the prophecy. I had already left the area and come to Japan, so I didn’t find out about it until a few years later. They told Cathy they remembered the prophecy, and apologized for doubting me! The point is that God simply doesn’t fit into any box we imagine for Him, and we’re far better off just taking Him at His word.

Even having experienced things like that, I still have trouble maintaining faith and hope at times. Ministry in Japan can do that to you! After 37 years of ministry in Omura, our current Sunday morning attendance is under ten – and I’m not talking about age! God has given us a vision of Omura again being the foremost Christian city in the nation, as it was 500 years ago, but how He’s going to accomplish that is a total mystery to me. I’m not to be lazy, certainly, but I’ve got to remember that it can only happen by God’s power, not man’s. I’m to be faithful on a day-to-day, moment-by-moment basis, allowing Him to use me or not use me however He chooses, so that all the glory may be His alone.

Father, thank You for this reminder. Help me remember that You are just as capable of working with me as You were with Abraham, and that Your power is in no way diminished. I continue to pray for the salvation of the people of Japan, to whom You have sent me, for their sake and for Your glory. Thank You. Hallelujah!

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Eternal Life; September 6, 2018

Posted on September 8, 2018 by jgarrott

Romans 3:22-24 There is no difference, for all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God, and are justified freely by his grace through the redemption that came by Christ Jesus.

This is the perfect mirror to what came out yesterday about God not playing favorites. It is also another way of expressing God’s greatest provision for us, of eternal life through His Son. There’s no getting around the fact that God’s a giver! Job said that He gives and He takes away, (Job 1:21) but He never takes away anything we need for eternity with Him. Another way of saying that is that He takes away bad stuff, and when He takes away good stuff it’s always temporary. When He gives, it’s forever! (Romans 11:29) That’s a marvelous truth to hang onto. As long as we live on this fallen earth we experience loss of all sorts. However, that’s not the case in eternity with God. As Paul said so famously, “For the wages of sin is death, but the gift of God is eternal life in Christ Jesus our Lord.” (Romans 6:23) It’s important to remember that eternal life begins the moment you repent and make Jesus your Lord by faith. We experience that only in very small measure on this earth, but even that little taste is glorious! There are many songs about the glories of heaven, and sometimes we really do long to be there instead of here, but fellowship with God doesn’t have to wait for heaven. When we choose to turn our hearts to Him and walk in step with His Spirit, (Galatians 5:25) His peace indeed guards our hearts and minds in Christ Jesus. (Philippians 4:7) Life on this earth has been spoken of as a “vale of tears,” and sometimes it can seem that way, but when our focus is on God, His eternal life, His righteousness, is manifested in us in the here and now, and that is glorious indeed. (1 Peter 1:8-9)

I need to be reminded of this from time to time too! As a pastor I deal constantly with people who can’t see past the end of their nose, and so are anxious about what might be three steps away. We aren’t given to see the temporal future, except occasionally in prophecy, but every believer can have a vision of eternity, and that should make us content with not seeing all the stuff in between. My parents have had a permanent change of address and my wife has paid a visit, so I have all the reason in the world to rest assured of God’s eternity, but I’m as human as anyone else, and I get irritated and frustrated and anxious. How foolish! Most of the time I really do enjoy living, and I’m grateful for that. I need to walk consistently in all that God has done for me in Christ so that I may lead others to do likewise, for His glory.

Father, thank You for this reminder, and thank You for the rest of the message for Sunday. Help me get those notes into shape as You intend, so that Your Word may go forth clearly and accomplish everything for which You send it, for Your glory. Thank You. Hallelujah!

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Favoritism; September 5, 2018

Posted on September 7, 2018 by jgarrott

Romans 2:6, 11 God “will give to each person according to what he has done”.
For God does not show favoritism.

20 centuries after this was written, I think most Gentiles have trouble grasping the emotional context of what is written here, but on the other hand, people really haven’t changed. Even today, the sense of difference between people groups can be intense at times. Paul is writing to directly confront that. He’s not being original here; verse 6 quotes both Psalm 62:12 and Proverbs 24:12. That’s a comfort, because it means that he isn’t deviating from what God has been saying all along. God does choose individuals and groups for specific purposes, as He so famously chose Abram and changed him to Abraham, but that doesn’t negate individual responsibility or individual opportunity. Right now the world political scene is being roiled by President Trump insisting on “America first,” which many are interpreting as “America only.” On the contrary, he is insisting on individual responsibility and accountability, and those who have been sidestepping those issues are upset. That is of course playing out on an international scale, but we deal with the issue constantly on a personal level. There are those who insist that their “victimhood” in one area or another excuses them from responsibility and accountability in other areas, when it doesn’t. One of the core messages of the Bible is the universal need for human repentance and God’s grace. The first four verses of this very chapter bring that out. We are very prone to accuse others of our own sins, and try to feel superior by insisting that they are worse than we are. Paul is saying that’s a total bunch of BS; we are equally accountable before God.

Growing up as an American child in Japan, many times I got away with doing things that would not have been permitted had I been Japanese. Looking back now, some of them were fairly remarkable, but I don’t think I was deliberately gaming the system. However, that and many other things contributed to an overall sense of privilege, of being special. On one level, every individual is special and precious in God’s sight, but on another level, as Paul says here, there is no favoritism at all. It was when I was hearing a testimony from a preacher’s kid about how he had come to realize that he couldn’t get into heaven by hanging onto his father’s belt that I had my own epiphany, an encounter with God that I explain as God tapping me on the shoulder and, when I turn, showing me a mirror so that I could see the blackness of my own soul. It was both devastating and incredibly liberating. When you think you are God’s “pet,” you don’t want to hear otherwise. God doesn’t have pets, but His love is poured out on all who will respond to Him in repentance and faith, in the obedience that comes from love. As I have discovered, that is far better than being God’s pet!

Father, thank You for this reminder. I feel like You want me to share this with the congregation, but I don’t know how to put it into a form that will really communicate. I ask for clear guidance and anointing so that we will all be built up and rescued from the lies of the enemy, for Your glory. Thank You. Praise God!

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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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