April 25, 2017

Posted on April 26, 2017 by jgarrott

Deuteronomy 6:24 The Lord commanded us to obey all these decrees and to fear the Lord our God, so that we might always prosper and be kept alive, as is the case today.

Once again we are back to God’s gracious, benevolent motives in giving His Law to the Israelites. Here it is in the context of people explaining it all to their children. It is important that we communicate not only what God has said, but why He has said it. In the time of Moses, few people were literate, so direct oral transmission of knowledge was essential. We have very little grasp of what that was like. Even the oldest people alive today are the product of hundreds of years of printed information, and young people today have always had instant communication via the Internet. Many people are thinking, or at least feeling, that there’s not much point in traditional education when all the information in the world is literally in the palm of your hand through an electronic device. The problem with that is, there is a world of difference between having information available and having it be part of who you are, ingrained into your thoughts, emotions, and decision-making. With something as important as who God is and what He has said to us, direct transmission from parents to children is the best scenario. God wants us to be prosperous (the Japanese translates that as “happy”) and successful, so He has given us His rules to that end. If parents want that for their children, and they should, then teaching them about God is of the utmost importance.

I had the huge blessing of being raised by parents who were fully committed to God, but even they fell into the trap of presuming on current traditions in education. They did present an excellent example of personal devotions and moral uprightness, but there wasn’t much talk that I can remember of why they did these things. We had group worship, including a Japanese family that was very close to us, and that was excellent, but for the most part I think they assumed that if the information was presented to me, I would absorb it. I read the Bible through at an early age, but it would have been even better had my parents discussed with me what I had read and how to apply it in all the situations of my life. Frankly, rather than learning from my parents’ mistakes I copied them, doing no better with my children than was done with me. That is actually the most common situation in every family, and entropy tends to degrade quality over time. As a pastor, I need to help parents understand that they need to be active and intentional in teaching their children about God, not just Bible stories but really who God is. None of us is really up to the task, but God will strengthen and enable us if our hearts are right before Him.

Father, my children are long grown and, because of distance, I have very little input into my grandchildren. Help me be faithful in transmitting knowledge of You to my spiritual children, particularly those who are right here. May I not only speak and write but model what You have shown me, putting Your truth into practice not only for my own benefit but for the sake of all those I influence, for Your glory. Thank You. Praise God!

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April 24, 2017

Posted on April 26, 2017 by jgarrott

Deuteronomy 6:4-5 Hear, O Israel: The Lord our God, the Lord is one. Love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your strength.

This is the Shemah, the foundational statement of Jewish faith, that Jesus said was the greatest commandment. (Matthew 22:38) As such, it cannot be overemphasized. It starts with the command to hear, to pay attention. (That’s what shemah means in Hebrew.) We are all too capable of hearing things and, for one reason or another, ignoring them. We must not do that here. The Israelites had come out of Egypt, which was thoroughly polytheistic, and were having to learn that their Creator, who had chosen them as His special people, was absolutely unique and singular. Thousands of years later Mohamed plagiarized this statement, and now Islamists use a raised index finger to signify that theirs is the only true god. It also occurs to me that humanistic “futurists” today use the term “singularity” to talk about the point at which machines will surpass humans, and/or merge with humans. That too is a denial of the Creator. Moses here goes on to specify how we are to respond to our singular Lord, and that is in love. This isn’t a nebulous, peaches-and-cream sort of love, it is a down-to-earth love that requires all that we have and are. Rather than an emotion, it is a decision, an act of the will: we are to choose to love God. The more we know and understand His love for us, the easier that decision becomes. However, at times difficult circumstances can make it hard to recognize His love. That’s where faith comes in. If we make “easy street” a condition for loving God, we really have no part in Him. Our perspective is temporal, and we are called on to trust that He sees and knows better than we do, and His ways are best. As Hebrews 11:39-40 points out, sometimes our reward for loving faithfulness isn’t in this world at all, but that doesn’t make it any less sure. God is absolutely and uniquely worthy of our loving obedience.

This is of course the foundation of the Gospel as well. Jesus certainly wasn’t wrong in calling it the greatest commandment! As a minister of the Gospel I am called to communicate this truth to as many as will receive it. I am forever asking people to hear, just as Moses does here. I know from experience that only the Holy Spirit can give people hearing ears, but they must make the choice to utilize them. I am to pray for people before and after I speak to them, but I must not forget to speak. As Paul said, “How, then, can they call on the one they have not believed in? And how can they believe in the one of whom they have not heard? And how can they hear without someone preaching to them?” (Romans 10:14) We sometimes give a negative connotation to “preaching,” but what it means is “proclaiming the Gospel.” I am not to preach at people, but I am to share the Gospel with them as one who has received and delighted in it. The challenges to doing that are limitless, but God is powerful enough to use even me to get the job done, and I am to rest, relax, and rejoice in that reality.

Father, thank You for this reminder. Thank You for the incredible privilege of addressing You, my Creator, as Father. Help me live as Your child indeed, loving You and delighting in Your love, sharing that love with those around me so that they too may repent and believe, for their salvation and Your glory. Thank You. Hallelujah!

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April 23, 2017

Posted on April 25, 2017 by jgarrott

Deuteronomy 5:29 “Oh, that their hearts would be inclined to fear me and keep all my commands always, so that it might go well with them and their children for ever!”

Here we have God’s motive for His commandments to us. It is odd that we have such trouble believing this is His motive, but then the devil has been lying to us about God’s motives ever since the Garden of Eden. Like irrational children, our favorite word is “NO.” The very fact that something is forbidden makes it attractive to us, and we get into incredible messes as a result. This is why it is the height of cruelty to fail to teach your children to be obedient. It is politically incorrect, but Proverbs hits the nail on the head: “He who spares the rod hates his son, but he who loves him is careful to discipline him.” (Proverbs 13:24) This theme is picked up in Hebrews 12:1-11, which quotes Proverbs 3:11-12. God is the perfect Father, but we have forgotten what a father is supposed to be like. John hits on the same issue from a slightly different angle. “This is love for God: to obey his commands. And his commands are not burdensome, for everyone born of God overcomes the world.” (1 John 5:3-4) God wants us to have victory in our daily lives, so He gives us instructions to enable that. We forget, or fail to trust, that God really is love, (1 John 4:8) and everything He does is a reflection of that. What we see as His wrath is the natural and logical consequence of our ignoring and rejecting His love.

I had the huge advantage of parents who loved God and loved me enough to discipline me. They erred more on the side of laxness than in the other direction, but at least they didn’t train me to break rules, which is what can happen when parents are arbitrary in their discipline. (I have always felt that unnecessary school rules, particularly, are training in ignoring rules.) I think I’ve understood most of my life that God’s rules are for my good, but that doesn’t mean I’ve always abided by them. I’ve hurt myself and others quite unnecessarily more times than I could count. As a pastor I am in the position of expressing God’s rules to others, and that’s often not easy. I am to speak the truth in love, and remember that failing to speak the truth is not love. I need to love people enough to risk their not liking me. That can be a hard one, but it shows I’m more concerned about me than I am about them. God loved me enough to send His Son for me, and Jesus loved me enough to suffer unspeakably for me. I need to obey Jesus’ command to love those around me as He loves me, (John 13:34-35) because that is the way of greatest blessing for us all.

Father, thank You for this reminder. Help me indeed be obedient to all You tell me, knowing without question that Your way is the very best possible for me, whatever it might look like in the short run to my natural eyes. Thank You. Praise God!

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April 22, 2017

Posted on April 25, 2017 by jgarrott

Deuteronomy 5:6-7 “I am the Lord your God, who brought you out of Egypt, out of the land of slavery. You shall have no other gods before me.”

This year I have been particularly struck by how God had to deal with the prevailing polytheism of human culture, even among the descendants of Abraham. Here He specifies the name He had communicated at the burning bush, which the NIV renders as LORD. That was to distinguish Himself from all the gods of Egypt with which the Israelites were familiar, not to mention the various gods of the lands they were passing through. Then He specifies that they aren’t to follow any of those other gods. He had made it very clear that He was the only Creator and all the other gods were lies, (Deuteronomy 4:39) but the people weren’t really there yet in their understanding, so He specified absolute monotheism as the first of His commandments to them. The average American doesn’t really understand this is an issue, but it is a major consideration in Japan, India, and various other countries. This whole issue is closely tied to the idea of absolute truth. Americans might not think specifically of a multiplicity of gods, but a shockingly large percentage deny the existence of absolute truth. Actually, that is polytheism by another name. Mankind is given to rebellion, and the devil doesn’t much care what form it takes. When we say that all religions are equally valid we are saying that none is real, including whichever one we claim. Not long ago even a prominent atheist came out with a public statement that though he didn’t subscribe to any religion, Christianity was preferable to all the rest because of the behavior it encouraged, in sharp contrast to other religions, particularly Islam. Even an atheist can understand that it makes a huge difference what God you serve.

This is a huge issue here in Japan. I have had numbers of people who liked what they heard about Jesus, but they just wanted to add Him to their god shelf, and when I made it clear, through John 14:6 and otherwise, that they couldn’t do that, they left. That’s heartbreaking. Realizing the persistent polytheism of the Israelites, I am really seeking God as to when and how to insist on the exclusivity of Christ. A man whom I met in the mental hospital (who is now in a group home) is still shaky on this point, but he keeps coming back to “just Jesus,” and I believe he is saved. I need to remember that God meets each of us where we are, because we couldn’t get to Him on our own in any case. I am not to set barriers in people’s way, but trust the Holy Spirit to convict them and lead them out of the lying traps of the devil.

Father, I’ll be seeing someone today whom You have indicated is ripe fruit. Keep me from saying anything to him that is not of You. Help me rather speak Your gracious truth to him in love, so that he may pass from death to life while he still has opportunity, not only for his sake but for his family as well, for Your glory. Thank You. Praise God!

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April 21, 2017

Posted on April 24, 2017 by jgarrott

Acts 2:38-39 Peter replied, “Repent and be baptized, every one of you, in the name of Jesus Christ for the forgiveness of your sins. And you will receive the gift of the Holy Spirit. The promise is for you and your children and for all who are far off—for all whom the Lord our God will call.”

This is the climax of a justly famous sermon that produced 3000 converts. I have heard it held up as an exemplar of evangelistic preaching, but we need to understand several things about the context. In the first place, he was talking to people who had gathered in Jerusalem specifically to worship the God of Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob. In other words, they already had both a rock-solid monotheism and a desire to serve their Creator. On top of that, they had a clear understanding of what it is to sin against God. The events of Jesus’ crucifixion were recent enough that everyone was aware of them. What Peter’s sermon did was point out to them that they were complicit in that crucifixion, and they were sharply aware of their guilt and asking for a solution. (verse 37) The only thing surprising about Peter’s response is his including “all who are far off.” He said that under the inspiration of the Holy Spirit, because he certainly wasn’t open personally at that point to Gentiles being welcomed into the family of God. It took the dramatic events of Acts 10, quite some time later, for that to break through to him. The point is, this is an example of a human instrument speaking God’s words under circumstances that God orchestrated, producing God’s results. There are certainly times when it is appropriate to quote these words in inviting people into salvation, but doing it on our own without the guidance and anointing of the Spirit certainly isn’t going to produce the results Peter had.

I couldn’t count the number of times I’ve heard people refer to “the 3000 at Pentecost” as an encouragement that revival is going to happen in Japan. The thing is, none of the underlying conditions are met in Japan. I would be as thrilled as anyone at a massive influx of people into the Body of Christ, but the situation here is different from that at Pentecost on almost every point. In the first place, the average Japanese concept of God, even, is dodgy at best. Rather than active faith in anything at all, they have a collection of superstitions. (Sadly, that might be said of many people in supposedly “Christian” nations.) In Japanese, the word for “sin” essentially means “crime,” so most people have no concept of sin against God that would be of no interest to the police. That makes it very difficult to get across the reality that we are individually responsible for Jesus having been nailed to the cross. Japanese have an excellent term for repentance, but no grasp of the reality that they need to repent. This is the reality that I and my parents before me have dealt with. I have to keep reminding myself that “Nothing is impossible with God.” (Luke 1:37) Every spiritual rebirth is a miracle; the circumstances in Japan just make that very clear.

Father, thank You for this reminder. Thank You for all of Your miracles, and especially the lives that are transformed. Thank You for the sense of anticipation You have given us that You are going to do great things in and through this church in this fiscal year. May each one of us make full use of the opportunities You provide to draw people into Your family so that the harvest may be brought in, for Your glory. Thank You. Hallelujah!

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April 20, 2017

Posted on April 24, 2017 by jgarrott

Acts 1:8 “But you will receive power when the Holy Spirit comes on you; and you will be my witnesses in Jerusalem, and in all Judea and Samaria, and to the ends of the earth.”

I have had this verse memorized for over 40 years, in both languages, but I must not let familiarity breed contempt. This verse was greatly celebrated in the early days of the Charismatic Movement, which is how I happened to latch onto it, but it seems to me that popularity and awareness have faded. It should be a powerful motivator both for local evangelism and world missions, but many churches seem to have forgotten both of those things, focusing instead on their own status and comfort. Such churches are dead. We have a strong tendency to increasingly be self-centered. Centripedal force seems to be stronger than centrifugal, but when we allow that to happen, we implode and die. Jesus calls us to abide in Him (John 15:5) and to go and make disciples of all nations. (Matthew 28:18-20) If we do those two things, everything else will fall into place. However, we tend to focus on all sorts of other things and forget both our center (abiding in Christ) and our purpose (making disciples). There are many things that are good, and God has indeed prepared many good things for us to do, (Ephesians 2:10) but if we forget what is most important, we go astray. In many churches and for many Christians, the power of the Holy Spirit and the gifts He gives are seen as merit badges or signs of favor, rather than as tools to be used in our core purpose of making disciples. Most Christians are familiar with Jesus’ parable of the talents, (Matthew 25:14-30) but too often we fail to apply it to ourselves. Everything we are given is given to us for a purpose, and we are responsible to seek God for what He wants us to do with it. Seeking Him means abiding in Christ, (our center) and He will show us how to use what He has provided in making disciples, which is our ultimate purpose.

I am preaching to myself here. I do seek God, holding intimacy with Him as my highest priority, but I still allow other things to interfere with that. I do seek to make disciples, but I burn out, which is proof that I’m trying to do it on my own rather than by the power of the Holy Spirit in and through me. I get discouraged at the low rate of return, and so stop investing my time and my energy. That’s a trap of the devil! I need to return to the fervor I once had, knowing that God has not changed and He is more than able to use me even now. After all, Abraham was 100 when Isaac was born, and Moses was 80 when he encountered the burning bush. I am to remember that it is God’s power and not mine, His wisdom and not mine, and eagerly look forward to what He is going to do through me each day.

Father, thank You for this reminder. I didn’t know I needed it as badly as I evidently did. Keep me focused on You so that these things won’t creep up on me. When I allow the stresses of life to take my focus I fall into the traps of the devil. Deliver me from evil! Help me be the steward You want me to be of all that You have provided, spiritually and materially and however, so that all of Your purposes for me may be fulfilled in Your way on Your schedule for Your glory. Thank You. Hallelujah!

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April 19, 2017

Posted on April 23, 2017 by jgarrott

John 20:31 But these are written that you may believe that Jesus is the Christ, the Son of God, and that by believing you may have life in his name.

John didn’t write just for the sake of writing, he wrote with a very specific purpose, and that was the salvation of his readers by faith. He has just recorded Jesus’ words about “Blessed are those who have not seen and yet have believed,” (verse 29) and then he addresses those who would fall into that category. English lacks a clear 2nd person plural pronoun, (apart from the Southern “y’all”) but the Japanese here matches the Greek, making it clear that John includes anyone who might read his words. We are included! John was following Paul’s advice to the Colossians: “Whatever you do, whether in word or deed, do it all in the name of the Lord Jesus, giving thanks to God the Father through him.” (Colossians 3:17) He was nearing the end of a major writing project, long before the modern conveniences we take for granted as we write, but he had an overarching purpose that motivated him, and that was the salvation of souls. We would do well to keep that same focus. Jesus told us to “Seek first the kingdom of God and His righteousness,” (Matthew 6:33) and drawing more people in is integral to that. We should so live that those who see us will know about and be attracted to the Lord we serve, so that they too may repent and believe for their salvation.

Living in Japan I am at least aware that the vast majority of the people who see me every day are not saved, but the question remains of how much I am doing to encourage them to change that status. I feel that many in this city like and even admire me, but my frustration comes in not enabling them to see that they can have every good thing they see in me, because it is all by grace through faith. Even in the church I have not been good at encouraging the believers to exercise their gifts; they like to depend on me, and that’s not healthy. I guess that means I get a pretty low score as a pastor/teacher, because my job isn’t to do the work myself, but rather “to prepare/equip God’s people for works of service.” (Ephesians 4:12) I write daily to focus my heart to hear what God is saying to me, and then I publish what I have written as a blog, (and even as one book, so far) but that publication must be for the purpose of drawing others closer to the God I serve. If it is for my pride, then I am far better off not doing it. I feel the Lord is pushing me to complete another book I’ve started, but I must keep the purpose in sharp focus as I write. Like John, I need to write so that people may receive and experience all that God has done for them in Jesus Christ my Lord.

Father, thank You for this further reminder. Help me follow through with all that You tell me to do, not accepting any of the excuses my flesh or the devil might suggest, so that Your Name may be acknowledged as holy and Your kingdom come as Your will is done, for Your glory. Thank You. Praise God!

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April 18, 2017

Posted on April 23, 2017 by jgarrott

John 20:21-23 Again Jesus said, “Peace be with you! As the Father has sent me, I am sending you.” And with that he breathed on them and said, “Receive the Holy Spirit. If you forgive anyone his sins, they are forgiven; if you do not forgive them, they are not forgiven.”

This passage has always been mind-blowing for me and still is, despite how many times I have read it. I’ve even preached on it repeatedly, but I still need to let it sink into my soul and spirit more. The very idea that Jesus would send us as He was sent trips all the circuit breakers, and then there’s the matter of forgiving sins. It’s too much! When you think about it, Jesus was at this point elevating His followers in much the same way He had done three days earlier in the upper room. “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.” (John 14:12) God has given incredible power and authority to those who are His through faith in Jesus Christ. It is very foolish, even dangerous, to try to lay hold of that power and authority without understanding the context and conditions. In between saying He’s sending us and talking about forgiving, Jesus instructs us to receive the Holy Spirit. The importance of this cannot be overstated. Without the presence, guidance, and power of the Spirit we have no hope at all of fulfilling the commission we have been given. Recently Charisma Magazine has come out with a series of books called Life in the Spirit. I haven’t looked at it, but if the authors have been true to Scripture, I hope many people get it and apply it. We live so much of our lives without tapping into the power that God has made available to us. (Acts 1:8) Even those who have experienced the power of the Spirit are tempted to use it for their own ends, instead of submitting fully to the will of the Father as Jesus did. (Luke 22:42) I’d say the vast majority of Christians, God’s children, live out their time on earth without grasping more than the tiniest sliver of what God has done for them and made available to them in Christ. I count myself among their number!

I am challenged every time I read this, and that’s good. I have tasted God’s amazing grace and rejoice to share it, but I must remember that there’s always more. God never runs out of grace, love, or power! I need to operate more and more fully in the commission God has given His children, and lead others to do the same. I have squandered it pretty badly to this point. I have proclaimed that when Japanese Christians wake up to who they are in Christ, the nation and the world will change, but at the same time I haven’t walked fully in who I am in Christ! As God has told me personally, there is much in the world that is not as He wants it to be. I am to submit myself fully as His change agent, operating not in my own wisdom and strength but His, so that the works of the devil may be destroyed and people set free, (1 John 3:8) for their salvation and God’s glory.

Father, as I wrote this You reminded me that You had me start a book on this very subject. Help me get back to it. My words have no power, but when they are Your words through me, they accomplish whatever You intend. (Isaiah 55:10-11) May I be fully obedient, doing exactly what You desire of me, not running off on my own but not holding back either, so that all of Your plans and purposes may be fulfilled, for Your glory. Thank You. Hallelujah!

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April 17, 2017

Posted on April 22, 2017 by jgarrott

Luke 24:27 And beginning with Moses and all the Prophets, he explained to them what was said in all the Scriptures concerning himself.

Too many Christians forget that the whole Bible points to and talks about Jesus. In some churches it’s rare to have messages from the Old Testament at all. We forget that even for years after Pentecost the Old Testament was all they had. The New Testament helps us understand many things about the Old Testament, but the Old Testament provides the foundation for the New. Too many Christians think the New Testament replaced the Old, just as some think the Church replaced the physical descendants of Abraham in God’s plan. Such thinking is a deception of the devil! It is very true that the Old Testament is fulfilled in the New, but that doesn’t negate the Old. Some things, like the sacrificial system and the dietary laws, are rendered obsolete, but that doesn’t mean that the Old Testament is no longer valuable. Peter preached from it on the day of Pentecost, Philip used it to explain Christ to the Ethiopian, (Acts 8:26-40) and here Jesus Himself used it to explain Himself to these two men. In my observation the two New Testament books that help most in understanding the Old are Hebrews and Romans, and the Old Testament book that talks most about Christ is Isaiah, but each relates to the other throughout. We need to be familiar with the whole Bible to understand how it all relates to our daily lives today. If we relate to it on strictly academic terms, as many do, it is no more than interesting, and sometimes obscure, literature. It is only when we receive it as the Word of God that we get the full benefits, from Genesis to Revelation.

I wasn’t more than 11 when I read the Bible through for the first time. I still have the first full Bible I owned, that my parents got for me at some point after I was baptized at seven. Thankfully it was the RSV translation, so I wasn’t totally stuck in KJV archaisms. It was interesting to me that when I did a dramatic reading in a college speech class using that translation, the teacher was surprised that it sounded as majestic as it did, because he had been raised on the KJV. In any case, my parents never denigrated the Old Testament, and I am grateful. In my preaching over the years I most often have used both Old and New Testament passages in each message, and still do. As I teach believers I desire to instill in them a love for the whole Bible, because every bit of it is filled with more riches than we can grasp in a lifetime.

Father, thank You for the privilege of teaching, sharing Your Word. Help me do it faithfully and effectively, not distorting or diluting it in any way. May it accomplish in and through me everything for which You send it, (Isaiah 55:10-11) destroying the works of the enemy (1 John 3:8) and leading many to life in Christ, for their salvation and Your glory. Thank You. Praise God!

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April 16, 2017

Posted on April 22, 2017 by jgarrott

Luke 24:11 But they did not believe the women, because their words seemed to them like nonsense.

I have heard people be very dismissive of the apostles here, saying they wouldn’t believe the women just because they were women. Whereas it’s quite possible that influenced their response, the bigger problem was that what the women said conflicted with what their own minds had decided. It was a perfect example of, “My mind is made up. Don’t confuse me with the facts.” We do that far more than we realize. Rather than listening to what God is saying, we interpret what our senses tell us by what the world is saying, and so miss God entirely. That isn’t to say we are to ignore the minds God has given us, but it is to say we must give God higher priority and remain open to His reality being very different from what our senses tell us. Paul reminds us that God is “able to do immeasurably more than all we ask or imagine,” (Ephesians 3:20) so it only stands to reason that His reality is different from ours. That isn’t limited to what we would call “good stuff,” however. God can reveal to us dangers that are not at all evident on the surface, and we had better be listening! This is the role of prophets, though not all who claim that title are hearing from God. We need to “keep in step with the Spirit,” as Paul said. (Galatians 5:25) If we will do that, we’ll hear what He is saying to us and be able to filter out the lies from various sources.

This is of course very applicable to me. As a rule I tend to trust my brain, and that can make me deaf to what God is saying. I don’t want that! I don’t want to be a “conspiracy theorist,” but I do recognize that what is reported is often far from the truth. At the same time I realize that a distrust of “facts” is a sign of mental illness! I need to keep getting closer to my Lord, listening to Him through His Word first of all but also however else He might speak to me, knowing that He is the definition and standard of Truth. (John 14:6) Today is Resurrection Sunday. The truth of that event changes everything about human history, and I must never forget it.

Father, thank You for the privilege of speaking to Your children twice today, at the Sunrise Service and in our regular service. May I present Your truth in Your words so that all who hear may be set free from the lies that have bound them, for their blessing and Your glory. Thank You. Hallelujah!

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