July 10, 2013

Posted on July 12, 2013 by jgarrott

Romans 7:6 But now, by dying to what once bound us, we have been released from the law so that we serve in the new way of the Spirit, and not in the old way of the written code.

Some people commit suicide thinking it will release them from whatever circumstances they find unbearable, but they are only half right. In any kind of release, thought must be taken as to what the person or thing is being released to. I’m reminded of stories of animals that are “released into the wild” only to be immediately eaten by a predator. Suicide is a release from this world, perhaps, but after death comes judgment, (Hebrews 9:27) and such people are seldom ready for that. In this case, Paul is speaking of dying to the Law, but that is not to be unfettered in being self-centered. Rather, it is to be free to serve God in the new way of the Spirit. Many people don’t like God’s rules because they don’t want to serve anything but themselves. They don’t realize that attitude benefits no one but the devil, and serves him. Recently there was an incident of pro-abortion people trying to drown out pro-life speeches and singing by chanting “Hail, Satan.” They perhaps had no real grasp of how honest and accurate they were being. By proclaiming a “right” to destroy innocent life, they were indeed serving the one who “comes only to steal, kill, and destroy.” (John 10:10) Paul is not talking about getting rid of the Law to follow our lusts, He’s talking about serving God more perfectly by the indwelling Holy Spirit, rather than by external regulations.

I have struggled with legalism in one way or another most of my life. I have had my times of wanting to ignore all rules, and I’ve paid the price. I’ve dealt with those who seemed to have a rule for everything, and they were quick to squash anyone who didn’t toe the line. I’ve learned that the only way to “die to the law” profitably is to be filled with the Holy Spirit, living to please Him rather than the flesh. When I have tasted the fellowship with the Father that is only possible through Him, I certainly don’t want to quench (1 Thessalonians 5:19) or grieve (Ephesians 4:30) the Holy Spirit! That’s a far more effective motivator than external rules.

Father, thank You once again for Your grace toward me. I have been so slow to learn many of the things You have taught me. Help me be an effective instrument in Your hands for teaching others, so that they won’t have to go through some of the junk I’ve experienced. May I indeed serve You more fully each day, by the presence and power of Your Spirit, so that Your will may be done in and through me for Your glory. Thank You. Praise God!

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July 9, 2013

Posted on July 10, 2013 by jgarrott

Romans 6:19 I put this in human terms because you are weak in your natural selves. Just as you used to offer the parts of your body in slavery to impurity and to ever-increasing wickedness, so now offer them in slavery to righteousness leading to holiness.

Paul was a good preacher/writer, and here he mentions one of his important techniques: using terminology and images his audience could relate to. Slavery isn’t a perfect image, but it was one his audience was very familiar with, because slavery was an established part of society. Today that image is very highly influenced by racial overtones because of American history, but in Paul’s day that was not the case; people of any ethnicity could be slaves. Slavery was sometimes a matter of birth, but more often a matter of circumstances, such as debt or capture in war. Shifting social context is an important reason to study the Bible and not just read it casually. It is not unusual for people to take a passage to mean something entirely different from the intention of the one who wrote it. That said, the Holy Spirit is entirely capable of giving us accurate understanding of any or all of the Bible, because He’s the one who inspired people to write it in the first place. Scholarship by itself is no substitute for the tutelage of the Holy Spirit.

This is an issue of vital importance for me, because I am charged with “correctly handling the word of truth.” (2 Timothy 2:15) I come from a line of Bible scholars going back several generations, which is certainly unusual, but it’s no reason for complacency. In addition to understanding the social and linguistic context of what I read, I need an unhindered relationship with the Author, or I will quickly get off into nonsense. Like Paul, I need to communicate God’s truth in words and images my hearers can understand, and often that’s not easy for me. In English, my vocabulary is much larger than average, so when speaking I must be careful to tailor what I say to the educational level of my audience. I don’t always do that very well! On top of that, in Japanese my vocabulary is very irregular, going into highly technical terms in some areas but having gaping holes in others, because of my never having attended school in Japanese. I speak fluent “churchese,” but that doesn’t communicate to people who are in church for the first time! My task is not simply understanding the Bible myself, to put it into practice, but helping others understand it so that they may put it into practice. For that, I must have the anointing and power of the Holy Spirit.

Father, thank You for this important reminder. I make a mess of communication all too often! I ask You to place a guard on the words I say and write so that I may neither distort Your truth nor cloud it, but express it in words that indeed “penetrate even to dividing soul and spirit, joints and marrow,” (Hebrews 4:12) to cut people free from the lies and misconceptions that have bound them, and lead them into Your light and life, for their salvation and Your glory. Thank You. Hallelujah!

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July 8, 2013

Posted on July 10, 2013 by jgarrott

Romans 6:11 In the same way, count yourselves dead to sin but alive to God in Christ Jesus.

This whole 6th chapter of Romans is enormously important for our being able to live like God’s children, instead of like children of the devil. Our bodies and souls are prone to temptation, which is why it is so significant that Jesus took a fully human body when He came to earth. Hebrews 4:15 points this out: “For we do not have a high priest who is unable to sympathize with our weaknesses, but we have one who has been tempted in every way, just as we are – yet was without sin.” Jesus maintained an eternal perspective, as much as is possible when operating within the constraints of time. He knew that His time on earth was short, so in a sense He operated as one already dead, at least to sin. That is exactly what Paul is talking about here. It’s impossible to tempt a corpse! This was a revelation that featured largely in Paul’s life and ministry. Galatians 2:20 is justly famous: “I have been crucified with Christ and I no longer live, but Christ lives in me. The life I live in the body, I live by faith in the Son of God, who loved me and gave himself for me.” However, thinking that way doesn’t come easily to us; it requires daily choices. That said, there’s no better time to start than right now!

As I get older it becomes easier to remember that “this too shall pass.” As I was dressing for a very hot summer day just now I was thinking that it won’t be long before I’ll be wearing long sleeves again. Whereas that perspective does make it easier to endure all sorts of unpleasantness, I need to be careful that I don’t let good things pass unnoticed. It does not honor God to fail to recognize and be thankful for His blessings! Also, I’m to recognize that my opportunities to share the Gospel and otherwise serve God are likewise limited, and make the most of them. Ephesians 5:15-16 is an excellent principle to live by: “Be very careful, then, how you live – not as unwise but as wise, making the most of every opportunity, because the days are evil.” I just had an interesting image: I am to be the opposite of a zombie. Zombies (which I do consider fictional, by the way) are dead to good but alive to evil. I am to be the exact opposite of that, for the glory of God.

Father, thank You for this very practical Word this morning. This could make a very interesting sermon! Help me indeed make the most of every opportunity, not only being dead to sin but being fully alive to You, so that I may be a carrier of Your life to others, for their salvation and Your glory. Thank You. Hallelujah!

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July 7, 2013

Posted on July 10, 2013 by jgarrott

Romans 3:21-22 But now a righteousness from God, apart from law, has been made known, to which the Law and the Prophets testify. This righteousness from God comes through faith in Jesus Christ to all who believe. There is no difference.

One of the most remarkable things about the Bible is its internal consistency. The best commentary on the Bible is the Bible! Here, Paul refers to the fact that the Old Testament speaks of righteousness by faith, even though under the Old Covenant righteousness was generally thought of in terms of obeying the Law. In Galatians 3:23-25 Paul puts it this way: “Before this faith came, we were held prisoners by the law, locked up until faith should be revealed. So the law was put in charge to lead us to Christ that we might be justified by faith. Now that faith has come, we are no longer under the supervision of the law.” A major element of the Law of Moses was that it had been given to the Jews, and they were fiercely proud of it, to the point that they looked down on others who had not been given it. Breaking down that pride was perhaps the most scandalous thing about the Gospel for the Jews of the 1st Century, and God had to do many things to get the message across. Here, Paul reiterates that there is no discrimination (the NIV says “difference”) in the Gospel. It doesn’t matter if someone has been steeped in the Mosaic law from birth, or whether they have never heard of it, if they believe that God sent Jesus to die for them and be raised to life, they are declared righteous. That’s why legalism is so absurd. Of all of Paul’s letters, Galatians is the only one that doesn’t start out by complimenting those to whom he is writing. That’s because he was totally upset that they were getting sidetracked into legalism. The tension between law and grace is real, but we must remember that a major function of the God’s Law is to make us aware of how much we need His grace.

This is a tension I’ve lived with all my life, being raised in such a strongly Christian family. I’ve done more ignoring, and deliberate breaking, of God’s rules than I like to think about. That’s all the more reason to be deeply grateful for God’s grace! I am never to descend into what is currently called “hyper grace” (it used to be called antinomianism) but I am also never to get trapped in legalism. God calls us to be holy as He is holy, (1 Peter 1:15-16) but we achieve that only by grace through faith. (Ephesians 2:8-9) I am in the position of guiding others, setting boundaries for them and leading them into God’s truth. There’s no way I can do that right in my own wisdom and strength. Just a couple of days ago I made a real error by failing to listen carefully to God instead of my own fears. I am to focus on faithfulness, but remember that faithfulness is possible only by the grace and power of God.

Father, thank You indeed for Your grace. I ask Your solution for the mess I caused, for the blessing of everyone involved, building up the Body of Christ for Your glory. Thank You. Praise God!

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July 6, 2013

Posted on July 7, 2013 by jgarrott

Acts 26:29 Paul replied, “Short time or long–I pray God that not only you but all who are listening to me today may become what I am, except for these chains.”

What a beautiful statement of the heart of evangelism! Those who are earnest in evangelism are sometimes accused of being conceited or “holier-than-thou,” but this is the perfect response to that. There is no conceit when you want everyone to be like you! Paul certainly had holy boldness to speak like this to a king, and particularly one who had physical authority over him. However, every child of God should exercise such boldness! These days the politically correct attitude is “whatever works for you.” but that is a trick from the pit of hell. All religions, roads, lifestyles, are not equal. Jesus’ statement that no one gets to the Father except through Him (John 14:6) is not at all politically correct, but that doesn’t make it any less true. I have been shocked and saddened to read how apologetic Christians often are for their faith, particularly in the US. There is nothing to apologize for in having a personal relationship with the Creator and desiring that others have what you enjoy! If we aren’t convinced that there is no salvation apart from Jesus Christ, then we will have little motivation to try to bring others into the family of God, and that is exactly what the devil is aiming for. We must not give him that satisfaction!

This is something I have run into more times than I could count. I have been accused by Americans of “cultural imperialism” for being a missionary, and I have dealt with Japanese who didn’t want to rock the boat by telling others about Christ. Paul’s statement here is the answer to both of those situations! My standard answer to those who accuse me of “pressing my religion on others who don’t need it” is that when I have found such a wonderful salvation myself, wouldn’t it be terribly stingy of me to fail to tell others about it? With those who hesitate to share the Gospel with others, I need to help them understand better what a wonderful salvation they have been given, as well as the stark reality of hell. That last is often a sticking point in Japan, because with so few Christians, that means that over 95% of everyone you know or encounter is headed for an unthinkably horrible eternity, so people try not to think about it. I need to speak the truth in love, not making “hellfire and brimstone” central, but not ignoring it either. We don’t like the “stick” part of the “carrot and stick” approach, but some people aren’t that crazy about carrots! I need to help people, both believers and pre-believers, understand that God’s grace is wonderful precisely because of where we’re headed without it!

Father, You know the struggles I have with this issue. Being accused and attacked is no big deal, but I so want to turn the believers on to being the witnesses they are called to be! (Acts 1:8) Help me encourage a hunger for more of You in each individual, so that they may open up to the full flow of Your Spirit through them, to be powerfully effective in drawing many from darkness to light, from death to life, for Your glory. Thank You. Hallelujah!

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July 5, 2013

Posted on July 7, 2013 by jgarrott

Acts 24:25] As Paul discoursed on righteousness, self-control and the judgment to come, Felix was afraid and said, “That’s enough for now! You may leave. When I find it convenient, I will send for you.”

As many times as I read this verse it strikes me, because I have gotten almost exactly this response more times than I could count. People don’t want to be told about righteousness, self control, and the coming judgment! However, refusal to face the facts doesn’t change those facts. That’s why emotions are an unreliable guide. It’s not that emotions are bad, it’s that they are subjective, and therefore unreliable. God is perfectly holy and cannot tolerate sin; sin brings eternal separation from God, which is the worst kind of death. God is also love, so much so that He sent His Son to take the penalty for our sins and open the way for us to fellowship with God as His children. These are objective facts, whether we believe them or not. That is why we are saved by grace through faith, (Ephesians 2:8-10) because we have to believe the truth to receive its benefits. Faith requires repentance, of unbelief at the very least. That’s why Jesus said, “Repent and believe the good news,” (Mark 1:15) not the other way around. Felix had the very uncomfortable feeling that Paul was speaking the truth to him, but he wasn’t ready to repent, so he tried to duck the issue. However, this is something we can’t duck. (Hebrews 9:27) The only way we can make it through the judgment of God is to be found in Christ by faith.

As I said, Felix has a lot of company in his attitude. Frankly, that can be heartbreaking at times, because when someone knows the truth but won’t appropriate it and act on it, there’s nothing I can do but pray for them. I do that, but I would certainly like to see faster and more consistent results! I have to accept and live with the reality of human free will, even if I wish at times we weren’t so free. I can’t make anyone repent, because anything forced isn’t true repentance. All I can do is speak the truth in love and ask the Holy Spirit to work it into their hearts. That I can do, and I must not give up doing it, even when the return seems scanty.

Father, thank You for the privilege of sharing the Gospel, and for the joy of seeing people repent, believe, and receive it for their salvation. I would certainly like to see the second half of that a lot more often! Help me be faithful as a messenger of Your truth and love, so that as many as will may indeed enter Your kingdom, Your family, for their salvation and Your glory. Thank You. Hallelujah!

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July 4, 2013

Posted on July 5, 2013 by jgarrott

John 8:34, 36 Jesus replied, “I tell you the truth, everyone who sins is a slave to sin. So if the Son sets you free, you will be free indeed.”

This is a very important truth, one that Paul expounded on at some length in Romans 6 and 7. There is a minor grammatical difference between the NIV and the Japanese here in verse 34. The Japanese says, “Everyone who is sinning.” That is, it is in the progressive tense, indicating current, continuing action. Even Christians, while they are in the middle of sinning, are acting like slaves to sin. That’s why immediate repentance is so important. When we recognize, acknowledge, and choose to turn from our sin, then we are set free from it and cleansed, as it says so famously in 1 John 1:9. Jesus’ point here is that He is the one who sets us free, and He has the authority to do it. If I were to go to a prison and walk around telling people they were free, it would make no difference. However, if the Governor or the President were to issue an official pardon, such a person would be released immediately. Jesus is not only the Son, He has officially and completely paid the price for our sin on the cross, so His pardon is absolute.

In my observation, a major issue here is whether we accept and receive the pardon that is offered. Of course that is the issue in salvation, but it also applies to what have been called “besetting sins.” Sometimes we get comfortable with sins, enjoying them more than we do unhindered fellowship with our holy Lord. That’s a major problem! I can think of specific people who are examples of this, and I came close to it myself at one point. There is no freedom in that. I need to preach an uncompromising message of holiness and grace. I am not to excuse sin, in myself or anyone else, but I am to proclaim the grace and forgiveness of God in Christ, so that all who receive that truth may be set free indeed.

Father, You know who came to mind as I wrote that. Each one has different circumstances, but they are all alike deceived. I pray that You would reveal Your truth to them by Your Word and Your Spirit, enabling them to receive it and be set free indeed, for their salvation and Your glory. Thank You. Praise God!

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July 3, 2013

Posted on July 5, 2013 by jgarrott

Luke 4:14 Jesus returned to Galilee in the power of the Spirit, and news about him spread through the whole countryside.

This passage is one of my (many) favorites, so I couldn’t begin to count how many times I’ve read it. However, what I’m feeling from it right now is that when we operate in the power of the Holy Spirit, word gets around. Jesus didn’t have to advertise, people came looking for Him. Publicity campaigns for churches aren’t bad as such, but they should be completely unnecessary. Each believer should be sharing Christ with their neighbors, their friends and acquaintances, and ministering the grace of God in His love and power. There would be no stopping the growth of such a church! We don’t necessarily need spectacular miracles, we just need to be consistent in living as children of God, witnesses of Christ. (Acts 1:8) If we will do that, we will indeed be making disciples for Christ, teaching them what we have learned from Him and His Word, and the world will be transformed. (Matthew 28:18-20) It is no accident that Charismatic/Pentecostal churches are the ones that are growing worldwide, but even there, there tends to be an attitude of looking at gifts of the Holy Spirit as “merit badges” and bragging points, and that is completely counterproductive. What is called for is personal humility coupled with an absolute assurance that God can do anything, and even use me in the process. When we are focused on ourselves, either we fall into pride that “we can do stuff,” or we become convinced that God could never use such a flawed vessel as we are. Both are traps of the devil! As Jesus said so clearly, apart from Him we can do nothing, (John 15:5) but when He is working through us, we can do anything. (Philippians 4:13, and yes, I know this is talking about an attitude of gratitude, but it applies otherwise as well.)

This is something I have become increasingly convinced of over the years, but I have been amazed at how much push-back I have gotten when I have tried to share it with believers. It seems people don’t want to be told God can and will use them if they will allow it, because it seems like too much work and responsibility. That shows they haven’t really tasted the joy of knowing God has spoken or acted through them. They expect such things of me because I’m a pastor, but they fail to realize that God indeed does not show favoritism. (Romans 2:11) He wants to use them just as much as He uses me, if not more. That’s all the more of an issue because I’m not Japanese, so they automatically put me in a different category. They don’t realize that they are far better equipped to reach their circle of family and friends than I am, precisely because it’s their circle, and not mine. I’ve demonstrated that I can’t get this truth across properly in my own wisdom and strength, so that puts me back to depending on God, which is a good place to be! I need to seek to operate in the love of God and the power of the Holy Spirit at all times in every area, so that His truth may indeed set people free from the lies that have bound them. (John 8:32)

Father, thank You for all the many things You are doing in and around me and this church. Help us recognize them, not just so that we may give You the thanks and praise that You alone deserve, but also so that we may expect You to work even more, and offer ourselves as Your agents, for Your glory. Thank You. Hallelujah!

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July 2, 2013

Posted on July 5, 2013 by jgarrott

Mark 1:35 Very early in the morning, while it was still dark, Jesus got up, left the house and went off to a solitary place, where he prayed.

Three things stand out to me about what Jesus did here. The first is that He went to pray early in the morning, before the pressures of the day could overwhelm Him. I know from personal experience that whereas I can pray at any time of day, and I do, there is something special about starting the day with relaxed prayer. That’s related to the second point, which is that He went somewhere He wouldn’t be distracted. There is no limit to the distractions that are available to us today! We are to live every moment of our lives with the awareness of God, as I’m sure Jesus did, but there is a limit to our multitasking, and it’s invaluable to have time to give God all our attention. The third point isn’t quite so obvious from the NIV translation, but that is that He kept praying until His disciples came and got Him. When we are in true, focused fellowship with God, time becomes irrelevant, and is certainly no burden. However, our lives today are so time driven that clocks and watches themselves are distractions from prayer. We need to remember that the God who created time will give us all the time necessary to do all that He desires that we do, whether it looks that way to us or not.

This whole issue has become more and more important to me over the years, as I have grown in the habit of regular morning prayer. There are times (like this morning!) when my body tells me it would like to get another half hour, at least, more sleep, so it’s a question of priorities. I have had to learn that God will wait for me when I need to help my wife for a couple of minutes right after getting up, but I have also learned that I must not let that distract me for long. The second point, of going to a place with minimal distractions, is likewise important, but must not be rigid. I greatly prefer to be in a quiet corner with my Bible and a computer to record what I hear from the Lord, but there are times, particularly when I am traveling, that I don’t have that option. Such times make my usual pattern all the sweeter by comparison. The third point, of genuinely forgetting time, is where I still have plenty of room for growth. My life in general is very time-driven, and I hate to be late for anything. I need to grow in relaxing in the presence of my Lord, soaking in everything He wants to say to me for as long as He chooses, and at the same time not resenting it when He says it’s time to be more active. That’s how I want to be, not necessarily how I am!

Father, thank You that You are still working on me, growing and stretching and polishing me. Help me not resist or resent any of it, but be fully yielded to You. Thank You for the person You brought here yesterday, and for guiding in every detail of what went on. I do pray that nothing would keep them from coming Sunday, and that their heart would be open to receive all that You want to pour into them. I pray Your grace for their whole family, that they may be brought from darkness to light as a powerful testimony of Your grace, for Your glory. Thank You. Hallelujah!

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July 1, 2013

Posted on July 2, 2013 by jgarrott

Matthew 10:7-8 “As you go, preach this message: ‘The kingdom of heaven is near.’ Heal the sick, raise the dead, cleanse those who have leprosy, drive out demons. Freely you have received, freely give.”

Many sermons have been preached on these two verses, and I’ve heard a few good ones. One of the best was at Southwestern Baptist Theological Seminary, which focused on “As you go, preach.” The focus was on the fact that the Greek verb for “go” is in a tense that requires the way the NIV translates it. It could be paraphrased, “I’ve already told you to go, so as you do so, preach.” The point being, the focus is not to be on the going itself, but on the preaching which is the reason for going. That’s valid and good, and quite appropriate for a Baptist institution, since they are very big on preaching. However, it is the things listed in verse 8 that grab my attention right now. Preaching can be done on a completely human level (though that doesn’t really bless anyone) but the following things can only be done by the power of God, and they validate the message that is preached. This is why people like Reinhardt Bonnke have such an effective ministry: his message is hard to reject when you’ve just seen numbers of undeniable miracles! This is actually the secret behind the explosive growth of the Church in the first few centuries: the power of God was manifested. “Advanced” nations have so focused on “scientific,” “rational” thinking that we deny the supernatural, and so refuse the power of God. Roland and Heidi Baker are good role models when it comes to demonstrating the power of God in smaller settings. God is still God, and people are much more likely to believe what we say about Him when we allow Him to manifest His power through us.

I’ve been used in healing the sick and casting out evil spirits, but I haven’t witnessed a resurrection yet! There have been a few times when I have prayed earnestly for one, but so far it hasn’t happened. That has helped me understand fully that we can’t dictate to God. However, a point in yesterday’s sermon comes to mind. A father is more likely to do what his child asks if the child truly delights in the father, and God is indeed that way. Psalm 37:4 is true! (Delight yourself in the LORD and he will give you the desires of your heart.) That is the secret of Heidi Baker’s amazing track record. I’ve never known of anyone more in love with Jesus! That causes me to examine my own heart to see how much I love Him. I am all too prone to let other things take priority over time with Him, and that is not the way to experience His power. I need to listen to and follow through on the things He says through me! I need to delight in Him indeed, so that He may delight in me and manifest Himself through me, for His glory.

Father, thank You for this clear Word this morning. Help me not just say, “that’s nice,” and fail to follow through in obedience. Help me live out the love I proclaim, indeed placing You first in everything. As You have said through me, placing You first is a choice. Help me make that choice consistently, for Your pleasure and glory. Thank You. Praise God!

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