In Word or Deed; March 25, 2025

Posted on March 26, 2025 by jgarrott

Colossians 3:17 And 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.

This chapter has many dearly-loved verses, but I think I’m to focus on this one this morning. This is about as all-inclusive a statement as you could make: “Whatever you do.” That doesn’t leave any wiggle room! On top of that, it specifies, “in word or deed.” Words are powerful, and are not to be taken lightly, but words by themselves are at times meaningless. The Japanese term for integrity is literally, “word-action agreement.” James wrote a great deal about that in his letter. In reading this verse we also need to be aware of what it meant to do something in someone’s name. We pray, “In Jesus’ name, amen,” not thinking about how that means “in harmony with, as that person would desire.” Here Paul expands that beyond prayer to everything we say and do, and then he tacks on that we are to thank God, echoing the verse just ahead of this. Gratitude is absolutely essential, but it’s also virtually inescapable if we have any kind of a grasp of all that God has done for us in Christ. That’s actually very convenient, because psychologists tell us, very reasonably, that gratitude is the key to happiness. You could condense this chapter by saying, “You want to be happy? Get your eyes off of the junk around you (verses 1-2) and focus fully on Jesus!” Some people think the Bible is theoretical and impractical, but actually it’s the most practical book in the world!

I have particularly loved verses 16-17 since learning a musical setting for them in Japanese. Translating that song into English, I included part of verse 15, because I had “notes left over,” but in either language it is a joyful and practical exhortation. I try to follow it, but I’m not the best judge of how well I do. God of course knows that perfectly, but the people around me are also likely better judges than I am. This particular verse is pointed for me because I have a gift for words, and I must be very careful in my stewardship of that gift. I am to speak and write in line with my Lord Jesus, not saying or doing anything that is out of synch with Him. However, as I told some people just recently, God has been so good to me that I would be a total fool not to believe in Him and be grateful. I do have things I don’t enjoy, but in comparison to the world at large, God has been more than gracious. I need to seek and receive His help to live out this verse, and indeed this chapter, for His glory.

Father, thank You for this reminder. Thank You that the ESWL to break up my kidney stone yesterday went smoothly, though it was surprisingly painful. I didn’t know to expect that, but it was hardly unbearable. Thank You that my vital signs just now were fine, so I’ll be able to get out of the hospital this morning. I do pray that everything will be clear in the check next Monday so that they will be able to remove the stent and I’ll be able to get back to my usual active lifestyle. In any case, may I indeed say and do everything in perfect harmony with You, for Your glory. Thank You. Praise God!

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Spiritual Health; March 24, 2025

Posted on March 25, 2025 by jgarrott

Colossians 2:6-7 So then, just as you received Christ Jesus as Lord, continue to live your lives in him, rooted and built up in him, strengthened in the faith as you were taught, and overflowing with thankfulness.

This chapter goes on to deal with such things as circumcision and asceticism that most of us don’t deal with much, but right here it speaks very simply in terms that relate to us all. The dictionary meaning is the same, but to me “rooted” doesn’t have the same flavor as the Japanese term, which speaks of “sticking down your roots,” which seems much more active. Being rooted in Christ is indeed a choice, and it is one the world tries hard to keep us from making. It is very obvious that all the “pro-choice” people are very particular about which choices they approve! The idea of being strengthened / firm / established in the faith seems quite straightforward, but the last instruction might surprise some people. The ESV says “abounding in thanksgiving,” and the NIV and Japanese say “overflowing with thankfulness/thanksgiving.” Too many people don’t understand how vital gratitude is to living a good life. For one thing, without gratitude, no one is truly happy. That’s the biggest problem with spoiling children: if they always get everything they ask for, they aren’t really grateful for any of it, and become terribly unhappy. We didn’t ask for salvation before we knew it was available, so we should be blown out of the water by its being given to us! One of the many reasons the Gospel of Jesus Christ is good news is that it’s so much better than anything we could ever generate on our own. The better we grasp that, the firmer our faith will be and the deeper we will want to push our roots into Christ and His Word.

We had a wonderful example of someone practicing this just yesterday. A sister brought the message, and I interpreted. She’s never been to college, much less seminary, but she is deeply rooted in the Word and absolutely delights in it. I’ve asked her to preach once a month, and it is a delight every time for me to interpret into English. It gives me great assurance that I’ve accomplished something in my time here! At one point this sister was clinically depressed, to the point that she literally couldn’t bring herself to leave her house, but now she is as radiant a disciple of Jesus Christ as you could hope to find. She is doing everything in this passage! She is a real encouragement to me, to not be discouraged by all the negative junk in life but rather rejoice in the goodness of God to me. “Overflowing with thankfulness” is definitely the way to go!

Father, thank You for this reminder. Thank You that I’ll be able to have the lithotripsy (ESWL) today to deal with my ureteral calculus (kidney stone). I do pray that it would be fully effective so that they will be able to take out the stent in my ureter SOON! This has been quite an exercise in focusing on things other than my body, so I thank You for it all. May I quickly return to being able to be fully active physically, and especially, may I grow spiritually as You intend because of this whole experience, for Your glory. Thank You. Praise God!

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The Mystery of the Gospel; March 23, 2025

Posted on March 24, 2025 by jgarrott

Colossians 1:27 To them God has chosen to make known among the Gentiles the glorious riches of this mystery, which is Christ in you, the hope of glory.

The phrase, “Christ in you, the hope of glory,” is so familiar to most Christians that we forget what an incredible thing it is. Thinking about it, I realize that quantum physics is expressed in the Bible! Few academic pursuits are as mysterious as quantum physics, with multiple dimensions and all sorts of things our minds have trouble wrapping themselves around. It’s no wonder that Paul would call it a mystery! This is expressed throughout the Upper Room Discourse, recorded in John 13-17, where Jesus talks about our being in Him and His Word being in us and all sorts of things we ultimately have to accept by faith. Three dimensions plus time doesn’t begin to explain it all! The thing is, when we experience it, it becomes a solid assurance that is as real as anything we can see and feel physically. That is a miracle indeed, and one for which we should be supremely grateful. The idea that the infinite Creator of the universe, in the Person of His Son who became a human being, by the agency of His Holy Spirit, could be in us, as small and insignificant and weak as we are, is on the face of it incredible, so Paul called it a mystery. When we forget how miraculous it actually is, we lose a great deal, I think. We need to realize that what God has done for us is logically impossible, and so trust that indeed, nothing is impossible for God. (Mark 10:27) The better we realize that, the more peace and joy we will have.

As I have written before, my father wrote his doctoral dissertation on the Greek uses of “in Christ” and cognate expressions in the New Testament. However, as he told me many years later, he had no idea what it was all about until he had a powerful encounter with the Holy Spirit, after he was a single missionary in Japan. He couldn’t understand it until he experienced it! I’ve got to remember that our being in Christ and Christ being in us, though totally and joyfully familiar to me, is totally mysterious and strange to the vast majority of the people I encounter every day. I must not let that puff me up, but rather ask and allow the Holy Spirit to use me to communicate the grace and love of the Father to those people, so that they too may repent and receive the gift of faith for their salvation. It’s not at all that we are to abandon logic and reason, but rather that God’s reality is greater that logic and reason can explain. It’s only in Christ that we can have it all! I need to operate in all that God has made possible, to a greater and greater degree, so that His will may be done in and through me for His glory.

Father, thank You for this clear Word. May I indeed understand that it is a mystery I proclaim to people, and not presume understanding when there is no basis for it. May I speak Your truth in gentleness and love, under the guidance and anointing of Your Spirit, so that all of Your purposes may be accomplished by Your Word through me, for Your glory. (Isaiah 55:11) Thank You. Hallelujah!

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Values and Goals; March 22, 2025

Posted on March 23, 2025 by jgarrott

Philippians 3:7 But whatever were gains to me I now consider loss for the sake of Christ.

From here through the end of the chapter is a magnificent exposition of Christian values and priorities. All the things the world values – power, prestige, money, physical pleasures – totally pale in comparison to knowing Christ, through whom all things were created and who yet gave Himself to die for us. This is what Jesus was talking about in His brief parables of the Pearl of Great Price and the Treasure in the Field. (Matthew 13:44-46) He called it the Kingdom of Heaven, but Christ is the kingdom, since He is the King. Until we understand the value of Christ and His kingdom, things will be out of balance in our lives. It was this awareness that enabled Peter, when his wife was being crucified in front of him, to cry out, “Remember Jesus!” He then went on to tell his executioners that he was unworthy to die in the same way as Jesus, so they crucified him upside down. I don’t think he remembered that suffering when he shortly afterward stood before his Lord in glory! The better we understand what and Who awaits us, the way Paul and Peter did, the less things on this earth will be able to shake us. Jesus was very clear that in this world we would have trouble, (John 16:33) but what comes after is so magnificent as to make it all insignificant. That’s why Paul could write to the Corinthians, “For our light and momentary troubles are achieving for us an eternal glory that far outweighs them all.” (2 Corinthians 4:17) Neither the positives nor the negatives of this life have much weight compared to the next life in Christ!

This is an awareness and conviction that thankfully has grown in me over the years. As Bill Gaither wrote, “The longer I serve Him, the sweeter He grows.” It has been and continues to be a magnificent privilege to walk closer and closer with my Lord even in this life, and I can hardly wait to experience what it will be like with none of the things of this world in the way. In this life we have physical and emotional pain, but He will wipe away every tear. (Revelation 7:17, 21:4) I have absolutely nothing to fear, because I know the love of God in Christ Jesus. (1 John 4:18) The thing is, I’m not yet perfect in that, and besides, few of the people around me know it at all. I have plenty to do, including growing spiritually, for as long as the Lord keeps me here, so I need to do it with joy, as unto Him. (Colossians 3:23)

Father, thank You for this reminder. Thank You for yesterday and all it held. Thank You that I now have a schedule for when this mess with my urinary system will be dealt with, and that it’s not next month! Thank You for getting us to Costco and back safely (an hour each way) and for guiding our purchases. Thank You for all that You have planned for today, and for the assurance that You will enable me to do everything You ask of me. Help me keep the goal in mind at all times, so that indeed, nothing will shake me. Thank You. Praise God!

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Living and Dying; March 21, 2025

Posted on March 22, 2025 by jgarrott

Philippians 1:20-21 I eagerly expect and hope that I will in no way be ashamed, but will have sufficient courage so that now as always Christ will be exalted in my body, whether by life or by death. For to me, to live is Christ and to die is gain.

Verse 21 is rightly famous, because it proclaims an attitude that few indeed genuinely have, but which is a source of unshakable joy, peace, and strength. However, verse 20 is generally overlooked, and it gives the framework in which verse 21 is possible. Paul’s desire, which should be the desire of every believer, was that he would proclaim the Gospel boldly and Christ would be glorified, whether he himself lived or dies. By being self-centered and materialistic, we turn our backs on blessings the world knows nothing about. If we will truly seek first God’s kingdom and His righteousness, which is another way of saying what Paul says here, then we will discover that God’s resources are indeed infinite, just as Jesus told us. (Matthew 6:33) God desires that we enjoy our time in this life, but if we focus on that to the exclusion of God, we lose everything. As Jesus said, “What good is it for someone to gain the whole world, yet forfeit their soul?” (Mark 8:36) There is an expression in Japanese, applied to beginning sumo wrestlers, that means “the entry to the castle.” We need to realize that our life here, whether it seems glorious or pathetic, is no more than the prelude to eternity. We are to be faithful stewards of the resources and opportunities we are given, but know that what is to come is infinitely greater. When we have that awareness, then we can repeat this passage after Paul with great assurance and joy.

This is something I’ve been aware of to some degree ever since childhood, since I was raised by strong believers. However, it has become stronger and more central in my life as I’ve gotten older. I was sharing some of the things God has done for me with some people on Wednesday, and said that if I didn’t believe in God after that, I was totally stupid! At the moment I have a health issue that is inconvenient, but I know that ultimately it is no big deal. Like it was for Paul, God’s grace is sufficient for me. (2 Corinthians 12:9) My focus is to be on my Lord, to be and do what He desires of me in this moment, for His glory.

Father, thank You for this reminder. Thank You for Your incredible faithfulness. Help me be a good steward of this body I inhabit, doing with it what You desire and intend so that it will be useful for as long as You have planned, for Your glory. Thank You. Praise God!

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Marriage and the Church; March 20, 2025

Posted on March 21, 2025 by jgarrott

Ephesians 5:25 Husbands, love your wives, just as Christ loved the church and gave himself up for her.

In Japanese, this is one of the most familiar passages in the whole Bible for me, because I use it every time I do counseling before the weddings I perform. I have it memorized! That said, as I tell such couples, we often fail to have a grasp of just how Christ loved the Church. Since the vast majority of the couples I marry aren’t yet Christians, I generally skip over verses 26 and 27, because they would make no sense to such people, but I do quote verse 28 to them, saying that husbands are to love their wives as their own bodies. Paul says in verse 29 that no one ever hated their own flesh, but recently the devil has been having shocking success at getting people to do exactly that, convincing them they were “born in the wrong body.” All that aside, the subject of the love between a husband and wife is a deep one that is related to the Church to a degree that few people really grasp. Many of the problems in Church history have stemmed from breakdowns in marriage in different cultures and periods, and vice versa. Today, I think many of the apostate churches have come out of the “Women’s Liberation Movement.” When women refuse to respect their husbands (verse 33), churches fail to respect and obey Christ. Our lives are intertwined to a degree we generally fail to recognize. However, looking over the past 100 years of American history should make it very clear that the breakdown in the family has been paralleled by a breakdown in faith and the Church.

Cathy and I were both raised by parents whose relationship was exemplary, and who also loved the Lord and served Him wholeheartedly. It was watching my parents that made me want to get married at 20! As I tell couples, I consider marriage to be the biggest job of my life, but the one that carries the greatest rewards. I know that I don’t love my wife perfectly, but I try! There were many miracles involved in the creation of the Bible as we know it, but I think one of the bigger ones what that this passage was written by Paul, who never married! He could only know these truths by divine revelation, and perhaps observation of some couples, such as Priscilla and Aquilla. Cathy’s and my relationship is admirable to the point of being shocking to many of our friends, and I am grateful. I hurt for other couples at times as I see some of their difficulties, but then, they probably see the imperfections in our relationship as well. I seek to keep improving our relationship for as long as we are in this life, knowing that it will be perfected in the next.

Father, thank You for this reminder, and for the wonderful marriage You have given me. May we continue to be an example and inspiration to all who know us, for their blessing and Your glory. Thank You. Praise God!

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Time Usage; March 19, 2025

Posted on March 20, 2025 by jgarrott

Ephesians 5:15-16 Be very careful, then, how you live—not as unwise but as wise, making the most of every opportunity, because the days are evil.

Careless living is risky indeed. Whether we realize it or not, we are surrounded by the works of darkness, and we are not to be tripped up by such, much less get involved in them. However, this isn’t just about protecting ourselves, it is about being useful to God. In these evil days God still desires that people repent and turn to Him for salvation, and He uses His children to accomplish that. We need to “have our antennas raised” to recognize the encounters He prepares for us, so that we may speak His words and work His works for the benefit of those around us. This isn’t anything we can accomplish on our own, but we still need to be willing participants. The very person you despise – or who despises you – may be someone God wants to use for His glory! We are to pay close attention to our own level of obedience, never descending into a holier-than-thou attitude but lifting each other up in love. We need to remember what miracles God had to work to save and use us, and never think He can’t do the same for someone else. Our time on earth is limited, and we need to seek to use it as God intends.

This is something that is coming into sharper focus as I get older. “Killing time” doesn’t seem particularly attractive at this point! That’s not to say that I’m to be obsessive, but rather that I am to seek God for what He wants me to do with each moment, even if I’m waiting for someone else to do something. Prayer is always an option! That’s not to say that I’m to be obsessive. He told me personally to rest, relax, and rejoice in Him, and He certainly hasn’t rescinded those instructions! I’m not to worry about “am I being productive,” but rather “am I doing what God wants me to do in this moment.” As always, my goal is to hear Him say to me, “Well done, good and faithful servant.”

Father, thank You for this clear reminder. Thank You for all the things You have prepared for me to do today. May I do each one in turn with peace and joy, so that those around me may be blessed and Your name glorified. Thank You. Praise God!

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Gentiles; March 18, 2025

Posted on March 19, 2025 by jgarrott

Ephesians 4:17 So I tell you this, and insist on it in the Lord, that you must no longer live as the Gentiles do, in the futility of their thinking.

There is a great deal of rich content here, but this struck me just now. Paul is writing to largely Gentile believers, yet he tells them not to live as Gentiles! The point is, once we believe in Jesus as our Messiah, we become descendants of Abraham by faith. (Romans 4:16) Accordingly, we are no longer to live like God’s law has no relation to us, but rather in respectful, grateful obedience. (Romans 6:1-2) Today there are thankfully many Messianic Jews, just as Paul was, but the vast majority of believers are Gentiles. As came up a few days ago, we who were once Gentiles have been brought near by the blood of Christ. (Ephesians 2:13) Accordingly, we are to live as those who are close to God, and not as those who want nothing to do with Him. As it says in verses 22-24 following here, we’re to “change clothes,” metaphorically speaking, take off and discard our old selves and put on what God has created us to be in Christ. That can seem scary, because we’re very used to how we have been, and the familiar is comfortable, but what God has prepared for us is glorious! The devil does all he can to hinder this, so that is why we are to submit ourselves to God and resist the devil. (James 4:7) We can’t receive and enjoy all that God has for us until we let go of the lies with which the devil has tied us down in the past. It’s not that the devil has any actual power to keep us from it; we just have to choose to let go of the one and take hold of the other.

This is something I have been a bit slow to grasp fully, because I was raised as a “cultural Christian” at least, and never got into some of the more destructive behaviors I see around me. That doesn’t mean I always walked as a child of God! It does mean that my sins were more hidden, more internal, if you will. That’s why God had to bring me up short and confront me with my spiritual pride, which is a deadly thing indeed. Pride is as bad, if not worse, a thing to walk in as drunkenness, for example. Having been a “tea-totaler” for most of my life means nothing if my heart isn’t humble before God. As a pastor, I am not to run around condemning people for their behavior, but I am to let them know then they are being unwise and/or deceived. I must do that, however, in love and humility, knowing that I’m as much in need of the grace of God as they are.

Father, thank You for this Word. I feel like it’s a message I need to share, but I’m not preaching for the next two Sundays! Help me remember it and share it when and how You intend, so that we may all be liberated from the traps of the devil and walk in all that You intend, for Your glory. Thank You. Praise God!

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Body Life; March 17, 2025

Posted on March 18, 2025 by jgarrott

Ephesians 4:15-16 Instead, speaking the truth in love, we will grow to become in every respect the mature body of him who is the head, that is, Christ. From him the whole body, joined and held together by every supporting ligament, grows and builds itself up in love, as each part does its work.

Ephesians is so incredibly rich! What many consider my maternal grandfather’s greatest book, The Glory of God in the Christian Calling, was written on Ephesians, and I use Ephesians so often that a page of it literally fell out of the bilingual Bible I used prior to my current one. These two verses describe what could be called Body life, the normal, healthy state of the Church. Many things conspire to hinder this, of course, directed and encouraged by our enemy, the devil.  I think the chief of those is pride, along with its companion, self-centeredness. When we operate in and communicate God’s truth in His love, both of those things are completely defeated. We need to remember that Christ is both our goal and our Head, the one from whom we take our directions and whom we emulate. It is very significant that this passage speaks of each part doing its part. When we think, “Someone else will do it,” or, “My part isn’t important,” we are swallowing the devil’s lies. Paul explained very clearly in 1 Corinthians 12 how each part is essential, and how the whole body suffers when any part of it is compromised. That said, we’ve got to remember that the guiding principle is love, and not go around accusing others of not doing their part. We are to encourage one another, rejoicing to be part of the Body of Christ and delighting to be used by Him to bless one another and give Him glory.

This is very timely, because the Japanese fiscal year starts in April, and we had a board meeting yesterday to start preparing for the business meeting we’ll have April 13th. God has been saying a lot to us recently about unity, and the board meeting was a good practicum in how that works out. There were differences of opinion, from different life experiences, and we were presented with the need to learn from each other, while letting the Holy Spirit be the arbiter of what we are to do as a local church. That takes more wisdom than any of us have naturally, so we need to ask God for that wisdom and exercise it as He gives it to us. (James 1:5) There are many signs that God is working in and around us, and we need to be sensitive and obedient at all times so that His plans may be fulfilled in and through us for His glory.

Father, thank You for how You are guiding and teaching us. I pray that we would have an ever clearer vision of who we are in Christ and what You want us to be, in this city and this nation. I pray that each person would rise up in the gifting and office You have assigned to them, so that all of Your plans may indeed be fulfilled for Your glory. Thank You. Hallelujah!

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Ministers; March 16, 2025

Posted on March 17, 2025 by jgarrott

Ephesians 3:7 I became a servant of this gospel by the gift of God’s grace given me through the working of his power.

For once, the NIV and the Japanese agree, and are different from the ESV. The ESV says, “a minister,” whereas the other two say “a servant,” or “one who serves” (Japanese). That is actually the original meaning of “minister,” but current usage has shifted considerably. Ministers are seen as holding a special office, and in the case of government ministers, a very high office. I don’t think that feeling is in the original at all. It is indeed a privilege, and actually high honor, to serve the Gospel of Jesus Christ, but it is something to be grateful for and not something to inflate our pride. I’m reminded of what has happened on some of the Fox News shows, because the majority of Trump’s cabinet have at least been guests on those shows, if not hosts. Those still at Fox have trouble using the formal titles, because these people are friends! That’s actually how it is to be in the Church. The ground is indeed level at the foot of the cross, as has been said for many years. There certainly is such a thing as spiritual authority, but it’s never to puff us up. It’s like I tell couples in marriage counseling: the husband being head of the wife, as Paul explains in Ephesians 5, in no way means that he is more valuable or more precious than she is. A minister, particularly in the sense of a local church pastor, has authority and responsibility, and had better be mature, but that doesn’t make him or her “better” than the members of the congregation. We serve Christ through serving His Gospel, which means serving the people God brings our way. Jesus explicitly set the example by washing His disciples’ feet. (John 13:12-17) Sadly, many “ministers” don’t see themselves as servants at all. When that is the case, repentance or removal are the only options.

I am very grateful to have been raised by my father. He was not only a pastor and missionary, at various times he was a university chancellor and chairman of the board of Seinan University and the Japan Baptist Convention. However, I can’t recall a single time of his demanding that he be served. He literally worked himself to death, not waking up on this earth after heart surgery at 64. I’ve passed him in longevity, but not in any other respect! I too am a missionary pastor and my function is to serve, not lord it over anyone. At 76, I am having to learn how to allow others to serve me! I need to focus on gratitude, both toward those who serve me and for the privilege of serving. I need to remember Jesus’ example and follow it gladly.

Father, thank You for this reminder. Thank You for the various ways You have allowed and continue to allow me to serve. May my only goal be to hear You say, “Well done, good and faithful servant.” So that You may receive all the glory as Your will is done. Thank You. Hallelujah!

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