September 19, 2015


Galatians 5:5 But by faith we eagerly await through the Spirit the righteousness for which we hope.

We sometimes forget that Paul was painfully aware that he wasn’t yet righteous by God’s standards, and was simply wearing the mantle of Christ’s righteousness. He had an even more strongly legalistic background than the Galatian believers to whom he was writing here, and he longed to be able to “dot all the i’s and cross all the t’s” at least as much as they did. However, he knew by revelation that God has imparted His righteousness to us through Christ Jesus. (1 Corinthians 1:30, 2 Corinthians 5:21) As glorious as that is, He wanted to be able to walk in that righteousness perfectly, and experience told him he wouldn’t do that in the flesh. People who have been raised in a less legalistic environment might not identify fully with this feeling, but all of us should be desiring earnestly to respond fully to the love and grace that God has poured out on us. That is what this “righteousness” is all about, because the only way to “be right” before God is to be obedient to Him by faith. That said, it’s significant that we have this hope of ultimate righteousness by faith and by the Holy Spirit. Faith is a gift, but it is our responsibility to receive it and exercise it so that it functions fully and strongly. The Holy Spirit is God’s impartation to us. We cannot increase Him – He is infinite – but we can grieve (Ephesians 4:30) or even quench (1 Thessalonians 5:19) Him. To receive His help and blessings we need to be in step with Him, which Paul says right after this. (Galatians 5:25) If we are walking in faith and in the Holy Spirit we will indeed earnestly desire perfect righteousness, with the hope, the assurance, that God has provided it for us in Christ Jesus.

As a pastor I am continually urging others on toward righteousness, but I’ve got to keep tabs on my own. Like Paul I know that I won’t be perfectly righteous on this earth, but that needs to be my desire on every level. The fact that I do have that desire is an encouragement to me! As Paul wrote the Galatians so strongly, I know that my imperfect righteousness could never earn God’s seal of approval, but that He has made His salvation available to me anyway by grace through faith. I am never to think, much less teach, that actions don’t matter, but I must never even imply that any sin is too horrendous for the blood of Christ to cover it. I run into people all the time who feel (this isn’t rational “thinking”) that their sins, their weaknesses, are more powerful than God; He can’t save them. That’s a lie from the pit of hell! I am to keep proclaiming the righteousness, power, grace and love of God, so that the lies of the enemy may be shown for what they are and people be brought out of darkness to light, from death to life, for the glory of God.

Father, thank You for this reminder just as I’m about to go to a meeting where the vast majority of attendees don’t know You. Help Cathy and me be Christ in their midst, speaking Your words to them by Your Spirit, so that even this weekend many may be brought into Your kingdom, for their salvation and Your glory. Thank You. Hallelujah!

Posted in Christian, Uncategorized | Tagged , , , , , , | Leave a comment

September 18, 2015


2 Corinthians 10:18 For it is not the one who commends himself who is approved, but the one whom the Lord commends.

I couldn’t count how many times I’ve used the earlier parts of this chapter in sermons, counseling, and conversations, but this last verse in the chapter is hard-hitting as well. It fits in perfectly with Paul’s quote of Jeremiah 9:24 in the verse before: “Let him who boasts boast in the Lord.” Right now America is in the throes of a much-needed-and-awaited presidential election. Many of the candidates, rather than talking about issues, are simply blowing their own horns. Given the current state of American celebrity culture that’s not surprising, because numbers of people are obviously drawn to the loudest horn blower, but it’s sad. The American electorate as a whole needs to ask who God approves, but again sadly, that’s obviously not going to happen. However, God can advance His purposes through means those directly involved don’t perceive, and that’s where prayer comes in. Everyone who does care whether America has God’s chosen leadership should be praying actively toward that end. They should be participating in the political process, yes, including voting in primaries, but I don’t think their prayers should be limited to a particular candidate, but rather that God’s choice may prevail. He may surprise us, He may delight us, He may do both, but we are not to be passive about it. “Thy kingdom come, Thy will be done” certainly applies in politics as well as in every area of our daily lives.

I have had my own problems with being “all mouth and no action” in various areas over the years. It’s not been pretty! Recently my photography has been garnering some gratifying comments, but there too I’ve got to remember that it’s God who enables absolutely everything I do. My goal is the ultimate accolade: “Well done, good and faithful servant: thou hast been faithful over a few things, I will set thee over many things; enter thou into the joy of thy Lord.” (Matthew 25:23 ASV) I’m not so concerned about being “set over many things,” but I do want to please my Lord and enter into His joy. The question then becomes, how to live now? No boasting, certainly! Rather, I am to seek to “make the most of every opportunity,” (Colossians 4:5) applying myself fully to every task the Lord sets before me, not complaining or making excuses but depending fully on Him. If He tells me to do it, He will do it through me!

Father, You’ve had me write quite a mix this morning, from politics to personal application. Thank You. This past week has been quite a roller coaster ride on the health front. Again, thank You. Thank You for how I feel right now, quite ready to go on the business trip tomorrow. Guide us as we pack and make other preparations today, so that there will be less temptation to be frantic tomorrow. May we rest, relax, and rejoice in You each step of the way, for Your glory. Thank You. Praise God!

Posted in Christian, Uncategorized | Tagged , , , , | Leave a comment

September 17, 2015


2 Corinthians 5:11 Since, then, we know what it is to fear the Lord, we try to persuade men.

It has long been a mystery to me why so few Christians are active in trying to draw others into the Body of Christ, and I think this provides a clue. Few people indeed seem to fear the Lord these days, and many are in active defiance against Him. That essentially proves we’re a race of idiots, because true wisdom starts with the fear of the Lord. (Psalm 111:10) Jesus told a parable of the banquet to which people didn’t want to come, after someone with Him had referred to “the feast in the kingdom of God.” (Luke 14:21) The upshot was, “Go out to the roads and country lanes and make them come in, so that my house will be full.” (Luke 14:23) Those originally invited had not feared the Lord enough to show up, but the servants had to fear the Lord enough to overcome people’s resistance and make them come. We do need to mind Peter’s admonition to “do this with gentleness and respect,” (1 Peter 3:15) but that doesn’t mean to be silent. If the Body of Christ had more respect for the Head, we’d get a lot more done!

I’m a fine one to talk here. Assorted methods of evangelism have been tried in Japan and found to have an extremely low success rate, but I haven’t been willing to put in the effort to keep doing those things for the sake of the few who do come to Christ. In other words, I haven’t kept my nose to the grindstone but instead have taken the easy path. That’s not fearing the Lord! Over the 34 years we have ministered in Omura I have baptized over 50 people, but some of those were never really planted here, and the vast majority have simply moved away for various reasons. I have never done an analysis of how each person was won to the Lord, but my memory tells me I had very little do do with it. There have been some individuals in whom I have invested a great deal of time and effort, seeking to persuade them as Paul did, but off hand I can’t recall any of those who have become active Christians. If I get to ruminating like this I can get pretty depressed! However, God does save some individuals gloriously even in this church, and I have been instrumental in their spiritual growth. I need to fear the Lord enough to do anything whatsoever He asks of me, but at the same time remember that any good results are all of Him.

Father, from this verse to the end of the chapter has been one of my favorite passages for a long time. I glory in the Ministry of Reconciliation that You have given to Your children. However, I would sure like to see more fruit from my efforts! Thank You for the birthday greeting from the brother whom I baptized who doesn’t currently live in town, praying that this coming year would be a year of bearing fruit. He knows my heart! We have all sorts of challenges facing us, with health challenges most immediate, but none of them present any difficulty to You whatsoever. Help us rest, relax, and rejoice in You, allowing You to do Your will in and through us on Your schedule for Your glory. Thank You. Praise God!

Posted in Christian, Uncategorized | Tagged , , , , | Leave a comment

September 16, 2015


2 Corinthians 3:18 And we, who with unveiled faces all reflect the Lord’s glory, are being transformed into his likeness with ever-increasing glory, which comes from the Lord, who is the Spirit.

What a glorious Scripture indeed! Some Christians despair at how little they feel they reflect Christ. The focus needs to be on removing the veil, not on trying to polish the mirror! God takes care of that polishing in many ways, some of them not so pleasant for us, but we need to seek to draw closer to Him, to see Him more. If we will do that, we will indeed be transformed more and more into the likeness of Christ, who perfectly reflected His Father. (Colossians 1:15, Hebrews 1:3) I particularly like the turn of phrase the Japanese uses in the last part of this verse. It carries the feeling of, “This can be nothing other than a work of the Lord who is the Spirit.” In other words, we can’t do it! I have met numbers of earnest Christians who struggled and struggled to transform themselves, when what they needed to do was draw close to God and let Him transform them. However, that requires fully surrendering control, and we are often afraid to do that. The illogic of that is sharp: if we want to be like Jesus, why are we afraid to let Him control us? We sing the song, I Surrender All, but then hang onto control with all we’ve got. That’s no way to be transformed into the likeness of Christ!

I remember one time when I had been having a real disagreement with my wife, and I was rather down about it. One of our church members at the time, with whom I prayed frequently, said, “I get the aroma of Christ from you most strongly when you have a disagreement with Cathy.” That set me aback, but in thinking about it, at such times I was most aware of my own inability, so I was most dependent on God. Whether we reflect Christ doesn’t depend on our abilities or our emotions but on how open, how naked we are before Him, and God allows all sorts of things in our lives to move us in that direction. Yesterday’s visit to the doctor resulted in a diagnosis that my problems resulted from an antibiotic (prescribed by a different doctor for an unrelated problem) clearing out most of my intestinal flora. The possibility of that side effect had not been mentioned by the doctor who prescribed it, and for some reason it hadn’t crossed my mind. (But then, I don’t recall that I’ve had an 11-day course of antibiotics before.) Stopping the antibiotic and starting an intestinal probiotic has greatly improved my symptoms, and the experience has indeed been beneficial for me spiritually, which is what counts most. I need to be willing at every juncture to let go of control and let God be God, not passively but actively. I do indeed want to reflect Christ, so my focus needs to be on Him rather than on me: my body, my finances, my anything.

Father, thank You indeed for this experience. Thank You particularly that my problem wasn’t contagious, so I don’t have to worry about that. Thank You for these next few days as we prepare to go to Miyagi Prefecture for five days from Saturday. I ask for clear guidance as to what to do when, so that my health will be fully restored and all of Your purposes accomplished on Your schedule for Your glory. Thank You. Praise God!

Posted in Christian, Uncategorized | Tagged , , , | Leave a comment

September 15, 2015


2 Corinthians 1:9 But this happened that we might not rely on ourselves but on God, who raises the dead.

In my observation this is the biggest purpose of most of the trials we experience, and frankly, it’s worth it all. I often remember Andrae Crouch’s song, Through It All. That deals with this theme beautifully and accurately. One of our biggest problems as human beings is in thinking that “we can do it,” without any regard for God. The further away from that attitude we can get, the better. That doesn’t mean a passive, I-won’t-do-anything attitude, it means taking on challenges, no matter how great, with the assurance that God is able to do it through us. It is an attitude of, “It needs to be done, so God, I’m available if You’d like to use me.” When the trials we experience teach us to depend on God alone, as this verse says, then they are worth going through indeed.

One way this can be very intense is in physical/health problems. I have seen quite a few miraculous healings, but I have seen far more cases when that did not happen. That is to say, God had a better plan for the individual and for those around them. My wife is counting the minutes until she is able to have the back surgery to relieve her pain (even though we don’t know the exact date of the surgery). I am naturally concerned for her and want her to be spared any unnecessary pain, but at the same time I know that this experience is polishing and strengthening her. I’ve been having a crash course in empathy the past few days. I don’t know if it’s food poisoning or something else, (though I’ll be going to the doctor this morning) but I woke up around midnight Sunday night with some of the worst chills I’ve ever experienced. I got a blanket and wrapped in it, and when my wife took my temperature around 4 it was 39.5 Centigrade. I actually had a doctor’s appointment for that morning, but it was with my dermatologist, and since by the time he saw me I felt like the fever had broken, I didn’t mention it to him. I pushed myself and got some other things done, but another check of my temperature came out 39.18. I was taking buffered aspirin at a great rate, and we went to the wake of a friend around 5, paying our respects but not staying for the service. That evening it got to the place where I certainly couldn’t trust myself to pass gas, and at this point I feel like I’m probably ready for a colonoscopy! I will be seeing my internist this morning, but the point is, all of this is for my good. That’s not to say I enjoy it, but to say that it teaches me to depend truly on God. Cathy has been doing beautifully about that, and I needed a refresher course!

Father, thank You indeed for the trials You allow us to experience, just as Andrae Crouch’s song says. Help me indeed receive and learn all the lessons You are teaching me, so that I will be more and more responsive, more and more useful in Your hands, for Your glory. Thank You. Praise God!

Posted in Christian, Uncategorized | Tagged , , , | Leave a comment

September 14, 2015


1 Corinthians 16:8-9 But I will stay on at Ephesus until Pentecost, because a great door for effective work has opened to me, and there are many who oppose me.

One thing Paul was not was a wimp. He didn’t know what it was to turn tail and run. Sadly, that attitude doesn’t seem to be very common in the Church today. That’s hardly surprising when we have “evangelistic” campaigns on themes like, “Your Best Life Now.” In contrast, Jesus said, “If anyone would come after me, he must deny himself and take up his cross daily and follow me. For whoever wants to save his life will lose it, but whoever loses his life for me will save it.” (Luke 9:23-24) The rewards are more than worth it, but nowhere did Jesus promise “Easy Street.” If we try to demand victory without conflict we discover soon enough that is a contradiction in terms. When a door for ministry was opened for Paul in Ephesus, the last thing he expected was smooth sailing. American Christians have had it a little too easy the past couple of hundred years, but the climate is changing. I personally think this is God’s grace, because an untested faith is weak at best, and God seeks children who will truly seek first His kingdom and His righteousness. (Matthew 6:33)

I’m a fine one to talk about Christians having it too easy, because I have experienced little focused opposition. That said, the devil is not happy that I’m here, seeking to bring people into God’s family, but I haven’t had people specifically trying to undermine what I am doing. Right now the devil is attacking my body with fever and other things, but I should take that as a matter of course. The vast majority of the health-related attacks we’ve experienced over the past 34 years of ministry in Omura have been against Cathy’s body. I don’t have any room to complain about this training exercise the Lord is letting me have.

Father, as I was experiencing the chills and aches and all that in the night and this morning, I was very aware that Cathy has it worse than that almost every day. I pray that this reminder would help me be more empathetic toward her, as a channel of Your grace and blessing to her, for her healing and Your glory. Thank You. Hallelujah!

Posted in Christian, Uncategorized | Tagged , , , | Leave a comment

September 13, 2015


1 Corinthians 15:14 And if Christ has not been raised, our preaching is useless and so is your faith.

We sometimes forget just how totally central to the Gospel the resurrection of Jesus is. We act like Christianity was just like any other religion, cooked up by somebody in a back room somewhere, when it is founded on absolutely astounding historical facts, and the resurrection is the greatest of them all. If Jesus had not risen, there would be no reason to believe His crucifixion was anything more than just another execution. If Jesus had not risen, then Pentecost was just mass hysteria. The devil has tried desperately over the centuries to claim both those things, but he’s arguing in the face of the facts. As Paul says here, if Jesus was not raised, then why believe in the first place? However, as millions have experienced over the centuries, the facts are there, and we serve a risen Savior. It is possible to manipulate people psychologically in a Christian setting, and sadly, some churches do exactly that. However, when believers are gathered and Jesus shows up by His Spirit, lots of things happen that can’t be explained away. The Japanese for this verse says that without Jesus’ resurrection, both the preaching and the faith are “without reality.” Praise God, the reality is there! That said, there is certainly a subjective element to it all, because faith is not something decided by external facts. However, as again millions can testify, there is nothing better than the assurance of our Creator’s love and forgiveness, demonstrated and certified by the death and resurrection of our Lord.

I remember very clearly a pivotal moment in my personal faith. My family happened to be driving on the US Air Force base where I went to school, and I remember even the exact location, close to the apartment building where a friend of mine lived. For some reason I asked my mother, “How do I know Jesus is real?” Her answer was simple and profound: “It’s like the song says, ‘He lives within my heart.’” Just as that song says, if we don’t know we serve a risen Savior, we have no real foundation for our faith. However, when we have that assurance, nothing in this world can shake us.

Father, thank You indeed for sending Your Son not just to die but to rise again, demonstrating the reality of the victory of the cross over sin and death. Help me walk in the reality of that victory all the time, leading others into it as well, so that many may be brought from death to life, for their salvation and Your glory. Thank You. Praise God!

Posted in Christian, Uncategorized | Tagged , , | Leave a comment

September 12, 2015


1 Corinthians 13:12 Now we see but a poor reflection as in a mirror; then we shall see face to face. Now I know in part; then I shall know fully, even as I am fully known.

There are two important truths in this verse. The first is simply that we don’t, we can’t, know perfectly at this point. Mirrors in Paul’s day were polished metal, and their polishing techniques were far from the mechanical precision that is used today. Reflections in such mirrors were useful, but hardly precise. It’s not that the knowledge of God we have today is useless, it’s that it is highly limited. Actually, it’s not simply knowledge of God, but knowledge in general that is highly limited. Many today have trouble accepting that statement, because scientific knowledge has indeed seen exponential growth and we live in an Information Age, where tools for extracting information from the flood of data become almost more important than the information itself. Even so, there is far more that even scientists do not know about the universe than they do know. That’s why science is such a delightful field for a truly inquiring mind, because there is always so much more that can be learned. Sadly, many people turn that on its head and use statements like, “The science is settled” to shut off inquiry, for the purpose of exerting political power. Humility is one of the most important tools of a true scientist. That said, the other truth in this verse is also very important, and that is that God knows everything about us perfectly. A lot of people are extremely uncomfortable with that idea, and some of them try to deny it by saying God doesn’t exist. How foolish! Such people have not “set aside childish ways,” as the verse prior to this says. We can’t even grasp how perfectly God is aware of us. Jesus specified that even the hairs on our heads are numbered, (Matthew 10:30) and He said that God knows everything we need even before we ask Him. (Matthew 6:8) When we know and trust the love of God, that is good news indeed. The fun thing to look forward to is that once we are freed from the limitations of these bodies, we will be able to know perfectly as well.

This has always been an area of great interest for me, because I love learning new stuff. I’ve lived long enough that some “facts” that were taught me have been proven false, so I approach every “authority” with a healthy dose of skepticism. I remember the story of how my oldest sister was being home-schooled around the time I was born, and her textbook insisted that “pines are always straight and tall,” when our house was surrounded by twisted pine trees. I don’t think she ever trusted a textbook again! I am interested but often amused at the various pronouncements that come from CERN and elsewhere, insisting that “breakthroughs” have been made when often enough those “discoveries” are later disproved. Of actually more importance, I am continually amazed at prayer. It violates human logic that prayer would make a difference when God already knows everything, and we are so small on the cosmic scale anyway, but it is demonstrably true, as well as stated or implied countless times in the Bible, that prayer indeed matters. In the same teaching session in which He said that God knows what we need before we ask, Jesus told us to ask, seek, and knock. (Matthew 7:7-8) I’ve come to the conclusion that prayer is certainly not forcing God to do what we want, but is rather a process of getting ourselves in line with Him so that His best for us may be manifested. I guess full understanding of prayer will have to wait until I’m before His throne!

Father, thank You for the incredible privilege of prayer, of fellowship with You. Thank You for the assurance that You indeed know me perfectly, and yet You love me anyway. I so long to give others that assurance! I ask that You use me to do so, to open their eyes to You and Your love for them so that they may repent and believe, for their salvation and Your glory. Thank You. Hallelujah!

Posted in Christian, Uncategorized | Tagged , , , , | 1 Comment

September 11, 2015


1 Corinthians 9:16 Yet when I preach the gospel, I cannot boast, for I am compelled to preach. Woe to me if I do not preach the gospel!

I think anyone with a genuine calling from God probably feels this way. A very high percentage have been tempted to quit, sometimes strongly, but there is certainly no peace in quitting. The particular form ministry takes can and often does change over time, but the calling itself is a lifetime appointment. Sadly, there are some in positions of ministry who are there for other reasons, generally either financial gain or personal power. Jesus called such people “hirelings.” (John 10:12-13) This section as a whole is about ministers being paid for their ministry, but that payment must not be the motivation for the ministry or it will poison the whole thing. We are all aware of people who demand high speaking fees as “evangelists” or “prophets.” They have profaned the name of the Lord they claim to serve. Akira Takimoto, who was called to his reward recently at the age of 86, was a shining example of how it should be done. He was an evangelist who also happened to pastor a church, but as soon as the church was large enough to support such a ministry, he was traveling all over the country, speaking anywhere that would have him. He founded an evangelistic organization with several other speakers as well, but they never made any demands on the churches that hosted them, choosing to accept whatever God would provide. He spoke multiple times here, and we were never lavish. The organization did (and does, with other speakers even now) let churches know what their expenses were, but that was as an encouragement and not as a demand. If everyone in public ministry had that attitude the Church as a whole would have a much better reputation!

The Lord has blessed me with the occupation of teaching English, along with translation and interpreting, to supply the funds to be able to minister. Other than extremely sporadic gifts, (one every few years or so) we have never had financial support other than our own work. For a while that contributed to my taking the church work lightly, but the Lord straightened me out on that point. I have always been quick to preach, (Conversations can turn into sermons!) but I have had real resistance to being a pastor as such, and the personal ministry that entails. I have said many times that I can’t help being a pastor, but the particular Japanese expression implies a desire to quit, and has been offensive to some people, so I’ve stopped using it, however accurate it was! This verse is a better way of putting it. I have always considered it a privilege to proclaim God’s Word, and I have finally come around to understanding that pastoral ministry is too, because everyone needs someone to be “Jesus with skin on” to them. The better I function in that role the more I am aware of His presence with me, and that is blessing indeed.

Father, thank You for the incredible honor and privilege of Your calling. Thank You for helping me understand how utterly unworthy of it I am in myself, that it is entirely by Your grace. Help me discharge faithfully all that You have assigned to me, so that many may be drawn to You through what You do in and through me, for their salvation and Your glory. Thank You. Hallelujah!

Posted in Christian, Uncategorized | Tagged , , , , | 2 Comments

September 10, 2015


Romans 15:30 I urge you, brothers, by our Lord Jesus Christ and by the love of the Spirit, to join me in my struggle by praying to God for me.

This verse has doubtless been used countless times since Paul wrote it by other missionaries in “prayer letters.” Foreign missions can be lonely work for a number of reasons, but such missionaries are as much a part of the Body of Christ as anyone else, and are certainly in need of the support of that Body. Many mission agencies do a great deal in terms of logistical support and the like, but the spiritual and emotional support is actually more important. Paul himself used the strongest terms possible here, making his request in the Name of the Lord Jesus Christ and the Holy Spirit. That’s not something to be done lightly! The Japanese also makes it clear that he asked for prayer “to the limit of your strength.” In other words, give it all you’ve got. Probably very little prayer is that way, which might explain the limited results we often experience. With modern technology, particularly the Internet, it’s easy and very helpful to give missionaries a word of encouragement, but such communication without prayer to back it up is simply humanistic and of no lasting benefit. We all need to remember that apart from Christ we can do nothing! (John 15:5) Both missionaries and those who pray for them need to be focused first on connection with Christ. Missionaries get busy too, and devotional life can suffer. As “point people” they are often under constant attack of all sorts, so they need the “air cover” of people praying for them. In my experience, the “heavy lifting” of missions work is often accomplished more by the people praying than by the people on the field.

I have painful experience to back this up. When Cathy and I came to Omura in 1981 we had no “sending agency,” but we had a church with faithful prayer warriors who backed us up spiritually. However, that church folded because of the sins of the pastor, and we were left without prayer cover. I didn’t realize what was going on, but my focus blurred, and the church here became more like a hobby instead of the real reason for my being here. I received a fairly strong rebuke from a brother to whom my words made that attitude obvious, but I didn’t know how to repent. The Lord arranged that we needed to go to the US for four months to get our younger daughter established in college (since she didn’t really remember living in the US) and He used that time to get us implanted spiritually in a home group of a particular church. During that time He also kept the church here from dissolving in our absence, and He renewed my focus on His plans for me. The years after our return to Omura were good, but we had been the youngest people in that home group, and those faithful prayer warriors started dying off. Right now we are again without organized prayer support, though we do have various individuals in various locations who pray for us. We need people agreeing in prayer for us!

Father, thank You for this reminder, and for the medium of my blog to communicate our need. I pray that those You are calling to do so would indeed labor with us in prayer so that the spiritual barriers may be overcome and many people be brought into Your kingdom, for their salvation and Your glory. Thank You. Praise God!

Posted in Christian, Uncategorized | Tagged , , , , | Leave a comment