February 23, 2014

Posted on February 26, 2014 by jgarrott

Revelation 2:17 He who has an ear, let him hear what the Spirit says to the churches.

This refrain, repeated in each of the seven letters to the churches in Revelation, is of great importance. Jesus said it in shorter form many times during His earthly ministry. (Matthew 11:15 and many more) He also congratulated His disciples because they did have ears to hear, (Matthew 13:16) even though it was obvious they didn’t hear perfectly. The thing is, we are to realize that God does talk to us by His spirit, and expect to hear from Him. Then, when we do recognize that He is talking to us, we need to listen carefully, to put it into practice. Some people are so blown out of the water that God really is talking to them personally that they allow their excitement essentially to block out most of what He is saying! That said, if we want to hear Him accurately we should become as familiar as possible with what He has already said, that is, the Bible, because He isn’t going to contradict Himself. Most people who experience it are amazed at how frequently and consistently God speaks to them, once they get their head on straight and open the ears of their heart.

I have used this line as part of my Faith Declarations for well over 30 years now. At least once a week, and sometime more often, I say these out loud, as an affirmation by faith of what God is doing in and through me. They are:
1. By the grace of God, each day I am desiring and doing His perfect will more completely in my life, for it is written, “For it is God who is at work in you both to will and to do His good pleasure.” (Philippians 2:13)
2. By the grace of God, each day I am more effectively sharing the Good News of the Kingdom, for it is written, “But you will receive power when the Holy Spirit comes upon you, and you will be My witnesses.” (Acts 1:8)
3. By the grace of God, each day I am more accurately hearing and obeying the Holy Spirit, for it is written, “He who has an ear, let him hear what the Spirit says to the churches.” (Revelation 2:17)
4. By the grace of God, each day I am more accurately detecting and resisting Satan, for it is written, “Resist the devil, and he will flee from you.” (James 4:7)
5. By the grace of God, each day I and those under me are walking more fully in the health of Jesus Christ, for it is written, “By His stripes we are healed.” (Isaiah 53:5)
6. By the grace of God, each day I have sufficient financial resources, for it is written, “My God shall supply all your need according to His riches in glory in Christ Jesus.” (Philippians 4:19)
7. By the grace of God, each day I am a better husband to Cathy, for it is written, “Husbands, love your wives, just as Christ loved the Church and gave Himself up for her.” (Ephesians 5:25)
8. By the grace of God, each day I am a better father to Ruth and Ann, for it is written, “Fathers, don’t exasperate your children, but instead, bring them up in the training and instruction of the Lord.” (Ephesians 6:4)
9. By the grace of God, each day I am a better shepherd to the sheep He has given me, for it is written, “The good shepherd lays down his life for the sheep.” (John 10:11)
These must not be simply words, but active principles in my life, for me to walk in all that God intends for me.

Father, thank You for Your faithfulness to speak to me, and for how gently You do so. If I were in Your place, sometimes I’d yell and get severe! Help me indeed listen more accurately and obey more effectively day by day, so that all of Your plans may be fulfilled for Your glory. Thank You. Praise God!

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February 22, 2014

Posted on February 23, 2014 by jgarrott

Revelation 2:4-5 Yet I hold this against you: You have forsaken your first love. Remember the height from which you have fallen! Repent and do the things you did at first.

Ah, the perils of cold orthodoxy! This brings to mind 1 Corinthians 13, where Paul is very clear that good works without love are meaningless. I dare say there are many churches today that are in this condition. The encouraging thing to remember though is that Jesus’ goal is never punishment for its own sake, but rather repentance. Repentance itself isn’t an abstract concept, but rather an active turning from wrong to right, which is why Jesus says here to “do the things you did at first.” Sometimes people “repent” with great tears and emotion, but then nothing changes in their daily lives. They haven’t repented! We would do well to think about how people act when they are freshly head-over-heels in love, and understand that should be our degree of intensity toward Jesus. Love does mature over time, but from the perspective of 45 years I can say that it certainly doesn’t have to weaken, and courting your spouse is never a bad thing. When we think of Jesus, do we long to be with Him? Do we place fellowship with Him first in our priorities? Do we want earnestly to please Him, to give Him joy? Those are all questions that should receive a resounding YES, but often don’t. Our relationship with our spouse and our relationship with Christ both take vigilance and work, but they are more than worth it. The parallels are so strong that God uses the marriage metaphor throughout the Old Testament, and Paul brings it into sharp focus in Ephesians 5. We need to remember our first love, and do the things we did at first!

I have been blessed with a marriage that is the envy of many, even to the point of incredulity that we could have a relationship like this after 45 years. That certainly gives me perspective on this passage! Yesterday we were told that my wife will not have to have surgery at this point on a ganglioglioma (benign tumor) in her brain, and that made it a very good day indeed, despite my having a miserable cold. I need to remember that in terms of my relationship with Christ as well, not letting little things distract me from what is good from His standpoint. I am as prone as anyone, I think, to get irritated and frustrated at little things. I must not let such things descend into resentment that will interfere with my sensitivity toward and fellowship with the Holy Spirit. I need to maintain “first love,” even as I seek to lead others into it.

Father, thank You indeed for Your grace toward us. I don’t know why the brain surgeon was so sure the tumor was growing, in August as well as a year ago, but I thank You that the MRI files in the hospital computer made it clear that it hasn’t really grown for at least four years. Thank You for this training in faith, even though it wasn’t much fun at the time. Help me be more and more in love with You, even as You have enabled me to be so toward my wife, so that I may be and do all that You desire, doing Your will for Your glory. Thank You. Hallelujah!

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February 21, 2014

Posted on February 23, 2014 by jgarrott

3 John 1:4 I have no greater joy than to hear that my children are walking in the truth.

The longer I am in ministry, the truer this is. Of course this applies to my physical children but they are greatly outnumbered by my spiritual children, and that is what John was talking about. (Of course, in my case my physical children are also among my spiritual children, so it all applies anyway.) When we look at things from God’s perspective we understand that material things are fleeting, but human souls are created to be eternal. That’s part of being created “in God’s image.” Our time on earth is to give us the opportunity to choose love and obedience toward God, which means choosing eternity with Him. Those who choose otherwise are eternally separated from Him, which is a fate more horrible than we can grasp at this point. That’s why it’s such a joy to know that people we care about are walking in God’s truth. That doesn’t mean just knowing what the Bible says, it means applying it, walking it out, in everyday life. If we are doing that ourselves we understand what a blessed thing it is, and we desire it more than anything for the people we care about. If we are failing to do it, at the very least we won’t be very effective in leading others to walk in the truth! Walking in God’s truth is a foretaste of what heaven will be like. As Jesus said, as long as we’re on this earth we will have troubles, (John 16:33) but when we are walking in His truth we can have “inexpressible joy.” (1 Peter 1:8)

As I have come more and more clearly into this understanding, I need to arrange my priorities accordingly. Anything that will lead others into walking in God’s truth is worth doing, and anything that will be negative in that area is certainly to be avoided. And the longer I live, the better I understand that very few things are really neutral. This is part of understanding what the Lord’s will is. (Ephesians 5:17) The more I walk in the truth myself, the clearer the path is before me, and the easier it is to guide others into it. An Internet acquaintance of mine was a missionary in Central America for several years when circumstances forced him to return to the US. Right now he is making a return visit, and the joy in what he writes, at having found his spiritual children walking in the truth, fairly leaps out at you. I find myself wondering how things would be if I were in similar circumstances. Everyone’s journey is different, but we are all called to walk in the truth of God each step of the way, and to encourage others to do likewise.

Father, thank You for this reminder. Thank You for the joy You are giving that brother. Thank You for the joy You give me through my spiritual children. I pray that I would be increasingly effective in leading them in Your truth, so that together we may be and do all that You intend, for Your glory. Thank You. Praise God!

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February 20, 2014

Posted on February 21, 2014 by jgarrott

James 5:16 Therefore confess your sins to each other and pray for each other so that you may be healed. The prayer of a righteous man is powerful and effective.

This is a familiar Scripture to perhaps most Christians, but we tend to hang up on a couple of points in it. The first is the matter of confession of sins. The Catholic church has institutionalized confession, which has a few advantages but also some real drawbacks. The biggest drawback is that it requires confession to a priest, when this verse clearly says “to one another.” The more we accentuate a clergy/laity divide, the less full discipleship we see. There are, indeed, different functions and different offices in the Body of Christ, but translating those into rank is, in general, a harmful thing. However, the Catholic church at least does have confession! Most Protestants find the whole idea distasteful, because we like to hide our failures as much as possible. The most famous verse on this subject is 1 John 1:9 “If we confess our sins, he is faithful and just and will forgive us our sins and purify us from all unrighteousness.” That is, of course, speaking of confessing to God, and that is certainly the foundation of confession. However, confessing to a brother or sister in Christ brings a measure of accountability that we often don’t feel in relation to God, since we can’t see Him with our physical eyes. If we are walking in close fellowship with the Holy Spirit, then He will help us keep check on “besetting sins.” However, if we’re busily grieving Him, then we aren’t going to be listening to Him anyway. Confession to another human being takes real courage, but it brings release, and yes, healing, like nothing else.
The other part of this verse where we hang up is the matter of “a righteous man.” Even though we don’t like to confess our sins, at the same time we don’t like to claim righteousness. The thing is, as John said, if we confess our sins then God indeed cleanses us from all unrighteousness. I don’t think there’s any question that we would have more assurance of our righteousness in Christ (2 Corinthians 5:21) if we would be less hesitant to confess our sins as soon as we are aware of them.

This has certainly been my experience. At one point I was having problems with a particular temptation and I confided in a Christian brother, and it was a very real help to me. I think a major reason why so many pastors fall disastrously is that they don’t feel they have anyone they can confess to. Accountability structure is vital! This isn’t a matter of rank, it’s peer to peer. We are all equally human, and the moment we forget that, we are in real trouble. However, we are all equally cleansed by the blood of Christ, so we must not let the devil deceive us into thinking we are “beyond the pale.” I know that I am what I am only by the grace of God, and that grace is equally available to anyone who will receive it by faith.

Father, this is a huge issue. As You are having us focus on being disciples who do the works of Christ, we’ve got to keep this in our foundation. Help me guide the flock accurately so that we won’t get sidetracked by anything, but move forward steadily as You intend, to be and do all that You desire for Your glory. Thank You. Hallelujah!

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February 19, 2014

Posted on February 21, 2014 by jgarrott

James 5:7-8 Be patient, then, brothers, until the Lord’s coming. See how the farmer waits for the land to yield its valuable crop and how patient he is for the autumn and spring rains. You too, be patient and stand firm, because the Lord’s coming is near.

This is one of many passages that show that the early Christians expected Christ’s return to be soon. From our perspective we see that as not having happened, but for each of them individually, the Lord “came for them” within a few years. This is something every person needs to grasp, but that very few want to. Simply put, our time on earth is limited, so how are we going to use it? At the same time, the focus of what James is saying here is patient endurance. (The NIV focuses linguistically on patience, while the Japanese focuses on endurance.) The illustration of the farmer is particularly apt, though in our industrialized society we might fail to really understand it. Today if it fails to rain, we irrigate, but even as I write the Western US is experiencing a drought that is threatening all sorts of things. However much people talk about “man-made climate change,” we have no control over the weather. That said, a farmer who is waiting for rain still has plenty he can and should do. I recently saw a video of a man in Africa who is making a major difference in his country simply by arranging rows of rocks across slopes so that when rain comes it is slowed down to where it can soak into the ground, rather than just washing off the topsoil. He is also planting trees, digging deep for each seed, and the combination of those two activities is transforming the landscape. Patient endurance doesn’t mean inactivity! This passage isn’t an excuse for laziness, but rather an encouragement to hang in there and continue doing what needs to be done.

This certainly applies to me! Japan is notorious in Christian circles for a very low return on time and effort invested, to the point that some missions agencies no longer send missionaries here. However, it’s been 80 years since my father first arrived in Japan as a missionary, and I’m not about to give up! My father impacted many with the kingdom of God, and I believe I have too. I am to be active at all of the tasks the Lord sets for me, seeking His wisdom and guidance as to what to do and how to do it, exercising patient endurance as I leave the results in His hands. It’s definitely not been boring!

Father, as I am now more than a year older than my father was when You took him home, I am sharply aware that Christ’s return is not so far off, from my perspective at least. Help me make the use that You intend of each moment, in active patience, trusting You for the harvest, for Your glory. Thank You. Praise God!

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February 18, 2014

Posted on February 19, 2014 by jgarrott

Hebrews 6:12 We do not want you to become lazy, but to imitate those who through faith and patience inherit what has been promised.

Salvation is by grace through faith, (Ephesians 2:8-10) but we are not to be passive about it. We cannot earn God’s love and everything that flows from it, but we are to respond to it actively. As a father I can understand this. My love for my children has never varied with their level of obedience or rebellion, but I dare say their awareness of my love has certainly varied. The more active we are in responding to God’s love and grace, the more we actually are aware of it and enjoy it. God knows how He made us, and He never asks of us more than He has given to us. It is in returning to God what He has given, in obedient, wholehearted service, that we are opened up to receive an ever-increasing flow of His grace and blessings. We see this principle in operation all the time: those who make the effort get the satisfaction, the reward. As it says in verse 10, God is not unjust; He rewards our faithfulness abundantly. The catch here is that sometimes the rewards are delayed, at least from our perspective, just as at times the punishment for sin seems to be delayed. When God told Adam and Eve they would surely die (Genesis 2:17) that did not kick in the moment they tasted the fruit, at least not physically. (It did spiritually though.) That didn’t change the fact that they died. Sometimes we feel God has overlooked our labors for Him. When we feel that way we need to first examine our motives. Were we working in obedience to God because He is worthy of total obedience, or were we doing our own thing and demanding God pay us for it? If the right answer comes up, then we simply need to remember and trust God’s faithfulness, and rest assured that abundant reward will come in due time. (1 Peter 5:6)

I’ve certainly experienced this in spades. There have been times when the devil has whispered, “What’s the use?” I can say with assurance that there is every reason to be faithful to God, because He has been totally faithful to me. I wish I could say I’ve never been lazy in my faith and obedience, but that would be far short of the truth. My life has been a testimony to the faithfulness of God, and I am grateful. Accordingly, I am to seek to draw others into right relationship with Him, acting and speaking in obedience to Him, so that He may be pleased with me. I want many to join me in inheriting all that God has prepared for us!

Father, thank You for all that You have done, all that You are doing day by day and moment by moment, all that You will do in the future. Your love, grace, and faithfulness are indeed amazing! Help me respond fully, consistently, so that Your will may be done in and through me for Your glory. Thank You. Praise God!

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February 17, 2014

Posted on February 19, 2014 by jgarrott

Hebrews 2:8-9 In putting everything under him, God left nothing that is not subject to him. Yet at present we do not see everything subject to him. But we see Jesus.

This passage expresses something that has tormented thinking people down through the ages: why would a loving God allow all the junk we see going on around us? That question has caused some people to turn away from God, but the writer here expresses both the problem and the only answer our finite minds can grasp at this point: a thundering, BUT WE SEE JESUS. The mystery of human free will, and all the suffering it brings, is something we can’t really wrap our minds around. However, God allowed Himself, in the Person of His Son, to bear the full brunt of that so that all who believe might be brought into right relationship with Him. It is as we remember that, that we are able to bear up and make it through all that we experience. We don’t like to admit it, but no amount of human genius could ever figure it all out so that it makes sense to our minds. That’s why God, out of His intense love for us, sent His Son into the world as a human baby, to live as we live, yet without sin, and then suffer horribly as the penalty for our sin, ultimately proving by His resurrection the truth of His declaration, “It is finished.” (John 19:30) Any time we are bogged down by what we see going on around us, or even in us, we need to take a moment to lift our eyes and contemplate Jesus. When we have Him in focus, everything else shifts into proper perspective, and we see the magnificence of God’s love and grace toward us. It is only when we have that perspective that we can walk in the peace and joy God intends for us.

The past few years have brought fairly intense training in this area as I have watched all that is going on in the world, from the debasement of America to the martyrdom of so many because of their allegiance to Christ. It has come personally as well, with strife in the church and turmoil in the lives of people about whom I care deeply. Right now my wife, who already has a diagnosis of Parkinson’s Disease, is facing the probability of brain surgery. In all of that, from the personal to the world-wide, I’ve got to keep my eyes on Jesus so that I may walk in faith, peace, and joy. That can be quite a challenge! I encounter evidence of God’s grace daily, even hourly or even more often, but I won’t recognize His grace, His hand and His voice, if I am focused on the problems rather than on Jesus. If I do maintain focus on Jesus, He will keep me in perfect peace. (Isaiah 26:3)

Father, thank You for this reminder. The current temptations to inner turmoil, from taxes to Cathy’s MRI coming up in a few days, are strong, but not stronger than You. Help me receive the peace You offer so that I may be an open channel of grace and peace to those around me, as a testimony to them and for Your glory. Thank You. Praise God!

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February 16, 2014

Posted on February 19, 2014 by jgarrott

Hebrews 1:1-2 In the past God spoke to our forefathers through the prophets at many times and in various ways, but in these last days he has spoken to us by his Son.

The writer could say this freely because he was writing to Jews, to the physical descendants of Abraham to whom the revelation of God had been given from Moses on. Gentile believers could rejoice in the truths recorded in this letter, but probably not with the same level of response, both positive and negative, of those who had been raised on the Old Testament. Many, indeed the vast majority, of Jews today deny the truth expressed here. To them it is blasphemous to say that Jesus of Nazareth is a clearer expression of Adonai Elohim than the Torah. This passage in no way negates the validity of the Old Testament; this letter is an excellent exposition on the Old Testament, quoting from it extensively. The Old Testament provides a foundation to be able to understand and appreciate the truths of the New Testament, but the Old Testament by itself presents a somewhat veiled picture of God’s plan of salvation. We need the Gospels as a direct record and description of the Messiah, and we need the rest of the New Testament to help us grasp the implications and application of what we now know of God’s plan. It is entirely possible to present God’s plan of salvation using only Old Testament Scriptures. That’s exactly what the early Christians did, and we have examples recorded of Peter, Paul, and others doing it. However, they too used various collections of Jesus’ sayings (Peter did it from memory) even before Matthew, Mark, Luke, and John wrote the organized accounts that bear their names. What is expressed in these first two verses of Hebrews was the common understanding of them all, so we need to have that same understanding and appreciation of the whole Bible.

I keep being reminded of what a huge blessing and privilege it was to be raised in a home that was steeped in Scripture, both the Old and New Testaments. Reading the Bible was a totally natural activity, expected of each member of the family. I do wish I had gotten into a secure habit of daily devotions much earlier than I did, but I am still very grateful for the foundation I was given. As a pastor in Japan, hardly anyone I deal with has that same sort of foundation, and at times I forget that, expecting people to grasp what I am saying when they don’t have the tools to do so. That’s not good! I need to be like Paul, who was likewise steeped in Scripture but became “all things to all people, so that by all possible means [he] might save some.” (1 Corinthians 9:22) I need to seek God’s wisdom in expressing His truth in words and ways that will penetrate the linguistic and cultural barriers, so that people will be set free indeed. (John 8:32)

Father, thank You for Your incredible grace toward me. Help me be an increasingly effective channel of that grace to those around me, that together we may be brought into all that You have prepared for us in Christ, for Your glory. Thank You. Praise God!

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February 15, 2014

Posted on February 16, 2014 by jgarrott

2 Timothy 2:19 “Everyone who confesses the name of the Lord must turn away from wickedness.”

Here we have another indication of the caliber of people in the early Church. It might seem absurd that such an admonition would be necessary, but it obviously was. Actually, hypocrisy and false pride notwithstanding, such an admonition is actually just as necessary today. The thing is, we tend to justify our own unrighteousness, in our own minds at least, while pointing horrified fingers at that of others. That just doesn’t work, because God sees the depths of each heart so we can hide nothing from Him. God accepts each of us as we are; we don’t have to “get clean” before we can come to Christ. However, we are not to remain in the pigpen! Sometimes it is the people who were caught in what we would call gross sins who have an easier time of making a clean break, because the difference is so obvious. It can be much more difficult with subtle sins, like compromise in the entertainment we consume, for example. Jesus Christ is the “gold standard,” of course. He loved and associated with sinners, but hated the sin and did not allow Himself to be stained by it. “Turning from sin” means in our own heart and actions, not rejecting those who don’t live up to whatever standard we set.

I deal with this constantly, in my own heart and in the lives of those to whom I minister. I am subjected to temptations, particularly to things in which I used to indulge, and I must stand firm against such. I must also be open for the Holy Spirit to show me any thought or attitude that is not pleasing to Him, so that I may repent of it. As a pastor, I am not to be legalistic, but I am to make it clear that making Jesus Lord involves every area of life. We are all prone to turn over less than all the keys to the rooms in our heart (to use my grandfather’s metaphor). When we are saved we give Jesus the key to the front door, so to speak, but most (if not all) of us have locked rooms further in, whether few or many. We need to give Him the master key to all of them. Only then will we be walking in the fullness of what He intends for us, in all joy and holiness.

Father, thank You for this reminder. Thank You for the way You are showing various people in this church rooms they have kept locked. Help each of us be quick to turn away from wickedness, as You define wickedness, and stop making excuses and trying to justify ourselves. May we move forward with the speed and the joy that You intend, so that as individuals and as a body we may fellowship fully with You, doing Your will on Your schedule for Your glory. Thank You. Hallelujah!

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February 14, 2014

Posted on February 16, 2014 by jgarrott

2 Thessalonians 1:12 We pray this so that the name of our Lord Jesus may be glorified in you, and you in him, according to the grace of our God and the Lord Jesus Christ.

There are differences in nuance between the NIV and the Japanese here. Where the NIV says, “that the Name of our Lord Jesus may be glorified in you,” the Japanese says, “that the Name of our Lord Jesus may be worshiped among you.” However, in both languages it is clear that Paul is asking that his readers receive glory. That’s an odd thought to me, but it shouldn’t be. Desiring honor is a natural human impulse. Often it is misused and becomes rooted in pride, but that is not what Paul is talking about here. I’d say that it’s very close to what Jesus was talking about in the parable of the talents, when the two servants were told, “Well done, good and faithful servant! You have been faithful with a few things; I will put you in charge of many things. Come and share in your master’s happiness!” (Matthew 25:21, 23) In various places the Bible talks about all that we have in Christ, and it turns out that glory is one of them. There are people who are “glory hounds” on earth, but it ultimately gets them nothing of value. However, for those who are faithful to and in Christ, there is glory beyond anything this world can ever provide.

In one of the sessions of this conference the speaker asked all who had been missionaries for over 20 years to stand, and we were given a long ovation. Frankly, I was moved to tears. I certainly don’t want to be a “glory hound,” but occasional recognition touches something in me that doesn’t usually get much attention. I earnestly desire the accolade Jesus spoke of in Matthew 25, but only He is the judge of whether I deserve it. There are times when I look at the paucity of visible results of my labors and I wonder if I’m hearing Him correctly. I know that I’m certainly not hearing Him perfectly! I’m not to be discouraged, but rather trust that He who has begun His good work in me will indeed carry it through to full and glorious completion when He returns. (Philippians 1:6)

Father, thank You for all You have done and spoken during this conference. I pray that not just I but everyone here would go home with Your Word and Your work sealed in our hearts by Your Spirit. May we indeed be disciples who make disciples for You, bringing many into Your family, Your kingdom, for their salvation and Your glory. Thank You. Praise God!

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