January 4, 2013

Posted on January 6, 2013 by jgarrott

Proverbs 12:18 Reckless words pierce like a sword,
but the tongue of the wise brings healing.

This chapter, along with Proverbs as a whole, has a lot to say about the power of words. That’s appropriate, considering that the book is a collection of words intended to impart wisdom. This particular verse is a refutation of a secular proverb many English speakers learn as children: “Sticks and stones may break my bones, but words will never hurt me.” Modern research, as well as personal experience, tell us that it can be far easier to heal from a broken bone than from hurtful words. This verse points out that such hurtful words might not even be deliberately malicious; they may just be careless or reckless. Jesus said that we will have to give an account for every unproductive word we speak. (Matthew 12:36-37) That should certainly make us careful what we say and how we say it! We live in an information age, which is all about words. They have never been more important, and they have never been more plentiful. With the Internet, words go around the world almost instantaneously, for good or for bad. There are countless tales of people who hit “reply all” to an email when they meant to reply to just the original sender, and of the havoc that produced. Someone has said, “Be careful that your words are sweet, because someday you may have to eat them.” That’s good advice! As this verse says, the tongue (and fingers) of the wise brings healing. We should focus on building others up with our words, even when they are words of correction.

This verse applies strongly and specifically to me, because I am a man of words. They have been my livelihood, as a teacher and pastor, for over half my life. As a teenager I used them as weapons, because I felt insecure in several ways, and I’m sure I wounded many. I have repented of that, but even today I wound unintentionally. In my position as a teacher and pastor, my words at times have weight beyond what I intend, either for good or for bad. On top of that, at times God speaks His words through me even when I’m not directly aware of it. A couple of years ago I met a Japanese pastor, whom I did not remember meeting before, who told me that about 20 years ago I had said something to him that changed the entire tenor of his ministry for the better. I certainly couldn’t take credit, because I didn’t even remember saying such a thing! I need to be aware that God wants to and does speak through me and so speak accordingly, without taking myself too seriously in the process. Like an electronic speaker, I am to be concerned with fidelity of reproduction, rather than originating the words myself. However, I do originate words, and those are the ones I will have to answer for. I need to be wise indeed, so that my words may heal rather than wound.

Father, thank You for this reminder. I will have an extended opportunity to speak weighty words today. Keep a check on my mouth, that I may not speak anything that is not of You. That’s often a problem for me, rattling on when You’ve stopped talking. Keep me from inserting any distortion, rather, faithfully transmitting what You are saying, for healing and encouragement indeed, for Your glory. Thank You. Praise God!

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January 3, 2013

Posted on January 6, 2013 by jgarrott

Proverbs 12:1 Whoever loves discipline loves knowledge,
but he who hates correction is stupid.

As a school teacher of over 30 years experience, I can say a hearty AMEN to this verse! However, it applies in many areas, and not just the academic. There are problems in expressing this verse, and the ideas behind it, in Japanese, because there is no single term that means “discipline,” but that doesn’t change the truth of the concept. Anyone who is in a teaching position for very long will soon be able to identify which students will absorb the material well and which will not, and it’s all a matter of attitude. There are of course personal­ity differences, but I feel the defining element is the home environ­ment. When parents value and model a love for learning of all sorts, the children are very likely to pick that up. That doesn’t mean trying to fit children in particular boxes at all; there are many kinds of learning, and a wise parent will seek and find what is appropriate for their child. The thing is, two children in the same home won’t have the same gifting, and so will approach learning differently. That is one of many things that make parenting a huge challenge! However, it has been noted that the difference between genius and simply high intelligence is mostly a matter of focus, which is another way of saying discipline. This applies in physical abilities as well; Olympic athletes are intensely disciplined when it comes to their training. If we really love our children, we will seek to teach them to focus on what is important for them, with the discipline that requires.

As a pastor (I teach for a living, since the church is too small to pay a salary) my primary focus at this point is spiritual, but this applies there, too. Those who love to get up every morning to read the Bible and pray advance very quickly in their spiritual growth. However, those who resent it when anyone makes suggestions as to how they could get closer to God don’t go very far at all. The thing is, we can learn discipline even as adults, even though it is much harder to do than for a child. It’s all a matter of choosing values, of deciding what is important. I cannot force Biblical values on anyone, but I can express them clearly and recommend them strongly. Those who choose Biblical values will indeed reap rich benefits.

Father, You know my hopes and prayers for the members of this congregation, because You laid them on my heart. I do pray that in this coming year that each individual, and consequently the church as a whole, would grow by leaps and bounds as we discover and move into Your plans for us, for the salvation of many and for Your glory. Thank You. Hallelujah!

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January 2, 2013

Posted on January 6, 2013 by jgarrott

Proverbs 11:30 The fruit of the righteous is a tree of life,
and he who wins souls is wise.

What a difference a translation makes! I have liked this verse for a long time as an encouragement to evangelism, but in Japanese the 2nd half of the verse reads, “A person with wisdom catches people’s hearts.” Thinking about it, I’m sure the NIV and the Japanese are both valid translations of the original Hebrew, but the nuance is quite different. Such differences not withstanding, the verse is certainly true. A righteous person doesn’t just do something good now and then, it is their lifestyle. In the image of this verse, their lifestyle is a tree that bears life. It is affirming simply to be around them. This should be the reputation of every Christian! When we are negative and critical, that blocks the flow of life. We should speak the truth in love at all times, imparting life by what we do and say. When we live like that, we are indeed being wise, and people will be drawn to us, their hearts caught/souls won by what they see in us. This is what could be called organic evangelism: not trying to snare people with some sort of plan, but drawing them to Christ by demonstrating His character. That said, we need to remember Peter’s admonition to “Always be prepared to give an answer to everyone who asks you to give the reason for the hope that you have.” (1 Peter 3:15) We do need to be able to express the good news of salvation in Christ in words that will communicate. That means avoiding “churchese,” and sharing our own experience of the grace of God. If we will do that, we will be living wisely and people will be won to Christ.

The “churchese” issue has always been a problem for me, because growing up in church as I did, even fairly deep theological terms seem quite natural to me. That’s compounded by living in Japan, and the language barrier there. I speak Japanese “churchese,” too! The average Japanese person has even less of a foundation for understanding the Gospel than the average American, and that’s saying something! I must constantly be on my guard not to leave people out in the cold by my terminology. Actually, most people don’t even understand “love,” “sin,” and “forgiveness” all that well, much less “grace,” and we won’t even go near “atonement!” My constant challenge is to help people understand first of all that they need to be saved, and then help them understand how they can be saved. That calls for more wisdom than I have in myself, but God promises wisdom to those who ask and trust Him, (James 1:5) so I need to let Him do the job through me.

Father, You know the people I’ve shared Christ with over the years, and You know their responses better than I do. I ask You to pour Your wisdom and Your love through me, so that barriers may be washed away and people receive the life that You have for them, for their salvation and Your glory. Thank You. Praise God!

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January 1, 2013

Posted on January 6, 2013 by jgarrott

1 Peter 2:2-3 Like newborn babies, crave pure spiritual milk, so that by it you may grow up in your salvation, now that you have tasted that the Lord is good.

The word picture here is so clear, and so gentle and winsome! We know that Peter was married, but we have no record of any children. This passage makes me think he probably had some, because it is so beautifully natural. When we, as spiritual babies, desire the Word of God the way an infant desires his mother’s milk, then we will indeed grow, and grow well. Many have had the experience, when first saved and even more often, when first filled with the Holy Spirit, of being almost unable to put the Bible down. That’s wonderful! Sadly, we let other things crowd in, and our fervor for taking in the Word dies down. Peter here points out that we have indeed tasted that the Lord is good. Babies won’t keep drinking something that doesn’t taste good, but that’s certainly not the problem here. The problem is that we start to think (with the encouragement of the enemy) that we are “beyond” that, that we don’t need it any more. Nothing could be further from the truth! Sometimes, when the Word contradicts what our flesh wants to do, we decide that it “doesn’t taste good,” but that’s not through any fault in the Word! We’ve all seen pictures of malnourished children, with their swollen bellies, spindly limbs, and unnatural coloration. Spiritually malnourished people are no better off, but it’s not so obvious to the natural eye. In some churches, you would think that’s the “in” look! Anyone who does not and will not take in and feast on the Word is courting spiritual death.

It is very significant that Peter is the writer here, because Jesus famously told him to “Feed my sheep.” (John 21:17) I’m sure he had learned, by the time he wrote this letter, that that’s not always easy. As a pastor myself, I know that you can put the food out there, but you can’t force people to take it in. Perhaps my biggest task, and challenge, in “equipping the saints for the work of ministry” (Ephe­sians 4:12) is getting people into the habit of feeding on the Word regularly, daily. I know that it took me many years before I really settled down into a fairly unbreakable habit of daily devotions, so I should have empathy with others on this issue. However, empathy doesn’t mean leaving them alone! I need to encourage them, as Peter did here, to dig into the Word and discover its treasures, feasting on it, not just on Sundays but every day, so that they may grow as God intends, for their blessing and His glory.

Father, thank You for this reminder. I do pray for each of the sheep in my flock, that they would recognize their spiritual hunger for what it is and turn to the only thing that can satisfy it, not just in occasional feasts but daily, so that they may have the strength they need to face each challenge and grow by it, rather than be defeated in any way. May we all grow up into Christ Jesus our Head, (Ephesians 4:15) for Your glory. Thank You. Hallelujah!

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December 31, 2012

Posted on January 1, 2013 by jgarrott

Isaiah 43:10 “You are my witnesses,” declares the LORD,
“and my servant whom I have chosen.
so that you may know and believe me
and understand that I am he.”

Many prophetic passages in Isaiah are addressed to Christ, but this is addressed to the people of God, specifically in the plural. As such it clearly prefigures Acts 1:8, where Jesus tells us the Holy Spirit is given so that we may be witnesses. It is very interesting in that the purpose of our being witnesses is so that we may know and believe God. To our logic that seems a bit backward. After all, wouldn’t those who already know and believe God be His witnesses? How­ever, there is a very interesting phenomenon in human psychology, that we are more likely to believe something when we say it. That can operate in bad ways, as in people who think things are true just because they say them. It is also behind the practice of some sports people who “psych themselves up” by saying positive things. What is different about this passage is that the people of God are called to say things about Him that are independently true, so that we may know and believe and really understand those things. I have seldom seen anyone with really strong faith who didn’t share that faith with those around them, and conversely, I have seldom seen anyone who was faithful to share Christ with others who didn’t have really strong faith. It’s something of a chicken-and-egg situation. It is a practical reality that if you want to grow in faith, you should share the faith you already have.

This has certainly been my experience, and it is something I try to communicate to the flock here. Over the years I’ve gotten a lot of push back over it, however. We make all sorts of excuses for not witnessing! However, I’m not to give up. Raising up and encouraging the believers in witnessing is very much part of “preparing God’s people for works of service,” (Ephesians 4:12) which is my job. I have been exposed to all sorts of “personal witnessing programs,” but they were all from the American cultural perspective, and they were of little if any use in Japan. For that matter, no canned program is better than a stepping-off place to get someone started, regardless of the cultural context. I need to encourage Christians to believe that God wants to and will use them to speak His love and truth to others. “Divine appointments” are not only marvelous, they’re to be expected! I need to look for, and make full use of, His appointments for getting His truth, and specifically this truth, through to those who are already saved, so that they may in turn reach out and draw many more into the family of God.

Father, thank You for this clear Word this morning. I want to share it right now! Thank You that people asked for a New Years service tomorrow morning, even though no one was interested in a watchnight service tonight. Guide me indeed in what to share when with whom, so that Your truth may go to hearing ears and willing hearts, bearing rich fruit in both the short and long term, for Your glory. Thank You. Praise God!

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December 30, 2012

Posted on January 1, 2013 by jgarrott

Revelation 1:5-6 To him who loves us and has freed us from our sins by his blood, and has made us to be a kingdom and priests to serve his God and Father – to him be glory and power for ever and ever! Amen.

This would seem to be something of an echo of 1 Peter 2:8, which I love dearly. It is certainly a fitting close to the theme of “Messiah” which we have been following this month. When we realize what Christ has done for us, we indeed want to praise Him! The problem is that most people don’t realize that their sins bind them. Rather, they are deceived by the devil into thinking that their sins are what they want to do. I’m reminded of various psychiatric problems I’ve seen or have heard of, where people feel compelled to all sorts of violent and /or destructive behaviors. Sin may or may not be violent, but it is certainly destructive! The blood of Jesus Christ dissolves the chains of sin and sets us free. The more we realize that, the better we grasp it, the freer and more joyful we are. However, that freedom is never license; that puts us back into bondage! We are set free to be priests to serve our Creator. The problem here is that the devil lies to us, again, and tells us that serving anyone or anything isn’t freedom. The reason that’s a lie is that refusal to serve God puts us back into bondage to sin!

This, of course, is something I strive to communicate to as many people as possible, but I won’t be effective unless I am walking in it myself. I must remember that “Where the Spirit of the Lord is, there is freedom,” (2 Corinthians 3:17) and that Spirit is the Spirit of the knowledge and fear of the Lord. (Isaiah 11:2) I will never have the freedom I desire unless I am walking in right relationship to God by the grace of Jesus Christ and the power of the Holy Spirit. If I am walking in that right relationship, I will have peace and joy and will be able to lead many into that relationship for themselves, for their salvation and God’s glory.

Father, thank You for Your grace and mercy that are indeed new every morning. Thank You for the past year, and for the year that lies ahead. Keep me growing in hearing and obeying You, so that all of Your purposes for me may be fulfilled, for Your glory. Thank You. Praise God!

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December 29, 2012

Posted on December 30, 2012 by jgarrott

Colossians 1:15 He is the image of the invisible God, the firstborn over all creation.

We think of Jesus as having been born in Bethlehem and laid in a manger, which He was, but He was “born” before the beginning of time. Physicists will tell you that time is dependent on matter, and this verse tells us that Christ was born before anything was created. I think that rendering, influenced by the Japanese translation, is a bit easier to understand than “firstborn.” As a matter of fact, something struck me just now from the Japanese. The Japanese word for “teacher” is “sensei,” written with two characters that mean “ahead” and “born,” or “alive.” That is to say, a teacher is someone who was alive before you were, and therefore has something to teach you. Those two characters are used in this verse. Jesus, having been alive before anything else existed, is the ultimate Teacher! That such a supreme Being would humble Himself so far as to be born as a helpless human baby, as Paul expounds on in Philippians 2:5-11, is absolutely mind boggling. The problem is, most of us are so used to the Christmas story that we take it for granted, or else we take it as strictly a story and dismiss it as a myth. That’s downright tragic. As it says in John 3:16, God went to all that trouble out of love for us, His creation, and when we fail to accept it we are essentially flipping off God. Guess where that gets us! God knows all our faults and failings and yet loves us anyway, enough to send His Son to die for us. Even the least appreciation for that should make us cling to Him in obedient love!

This is of course the Gospel I preach. Many, many times I wish I could flip a switch and open someone’s heart to God’s grace, but of course I can’t do that. Human free will is a mystery, but it is also supremely valuable, because if there were no free will, there would be no sin, and Jesus would not have needed to die to take away the penalty. I find myself understanding martyrs better, because, since I am assured of my own eternal life in Christ, my physical life means less and less to me, if by giving it I could bring others into God’s family. That’s not at all to say that I don’t take the best care I can of my physical being, so that it may serve me long and well, but it is to say that physical life pales to insignificance compared to eternal life in Christ, and having that, I want everyone to have it! “No student is above his teacher,” (Luke 6:40) and Christ, my Teacher, laid down His life. I should seek the salvation of those around me with the same total dedication.

Father, You know my weakness, how I feel this way and yet I put convenience or pride ahead of sharing the Gospel. Forgive me. Strengthen me. Help me live out all that You have placed in me, not just mouthing platitudes but demonstrating Your love and grace in practical terms, so that people may be led out of the dark traps of the enemy into Your highway of light and life, for their salvation and Your glory. Thank You. Hallelujah!

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December 28, 2012

Posted on December 30, 2012 by jgarrott

Romans 5:1-2 Therefore, since we have been justified through faith, we have peace with God through our Lord Jesus Christ, through whom we have gained access by faith into this grace in which we now stand. And we rejoice in the hope of the glory of God.

When we realize what an incredible thing God has done for us in Christ, we look at everything else from a different perspective. Right after this, Paul gets specific about that, in one of the most famous passages about rejoicing in suffering, but this whole thing isn’t about masochism at all. Rather, it’s about God having loved us enough to deal with our waywardness from His side, so that we may enter into eternal life and fellowship with Him, which is the purpose for which we were created. We have so little grasp of our own need for this, our total powerlessness in the face of our own sinfulness, and we like­wise have so little grasp of the magnificence of what God intends for us. The more we come to understand these two things, the less we are distracted and distressed by all the stuff we go through. I think it was Karl Barth who, when asked as an old and greatly respected theolo­gian what the greatest truth was that he had grasped in all his studies, said, “Jesus loves me. This I know, for the Bible tells me so.” The greatest truths are essentially very simple, which is why Jesus tells us we must become as little children to receive their benefit. (Matthew 18:3)

I thankfully received the basic truth of salvation when I was a small child, but it didn’t take me many years to become a sophomore. (“Sophomore” means “wise fool,” and it refers to those who, having learned a little, think they know everything, instead of grasping how small a portion of the total they really do know.) I became thorough­ly mired in conceit, thinking I knew all the answers. What would have been far better would have been if I had dug into the depth, the magnificence, of the simple truths I did know. Right now I am charged with teaching others the truths that have been entrusted to me, and I find myself wanting to focus on the basics, again and again. The congregation may be tired of it, but I want to keep grow­ing in my own knowledge and understanding. Whole books have been written on just the two verses we have here, and I’m sure they don’t cover it all! There is no limit to the wealth of God’s grace toward us, and it is my honor and privilege to delve into it and share it with others.

Father, we’ve come to the end of another year. Thank You for how You have led, grown, and shaped me in this year. Thank You especially for how You have grown me in the hope of Your glory. May I be increasingly faithful and effective in communicating that with others, so that all of Your plans may be fulfilled, for Your pleasure and glory. Thank You. Hallelujah!

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December 27, 2012

Posted on December 28, 2012 by jgarrott

Matthew 2:12 And having been warned in a dream not to go back to Herod, they returned to their country by another route.

These days we don’t seem to expect God to speak through dreams, but the Biblical examples of that happening are very numerous. The patriarch Joseph the son of Jacob was often given such dreams, and his namesake, Joseph the husband of Mary, also had it happen several times, and there are many more examples. With such examples, we should certainly not discount the possibility for ourselves. The prob­lem today stems in large part from Freud and the psychoanalysis he fostered. It’s not that our subconscious minds don’t influence our dreams, it’s that psychoanalysis excludes the possibility that God might have a hand in it. (The same thing applies to changes in plants and animals that are labeled “evolution.”) A person of faith should be looking for God’s hand in everything, rather than looking to exclude Him. I’ve seen a refrigerator magnet that says, “Happiness is seeing a beautiful sunset and knowing whom to thank.” There’s real truth in that. Knowing about diffraction caused by dust, water vapor and such in the air shouldn’t keep us from recognizing the God who caused such things to exist, and perhaps orchestrated the particular example we are seeing. Of course, dreams by themselves aren’t an especially reliable guide, so that’s why it’s important to be “on speaking terms,” so to speak, with God. That means regularly reading the Bible with the expectation of God speaking through it to you personally. It is amazing to me how many people can’t imagine that God would do such a thing. However, when God caused the Bible to be written in the first place, it is no stretch to expect Him to bring it to life in our minds and hearts for us to apply it. When we do that on a regular basis, we get to know what God “sounds like,” and so it is easier to recognize Him when He speaks in other ways, such as through dreams.

I haven’t had many dreams that I felt were from the Lord, but I know people for whom such are not unusual. However, I have had dreams that I specifically knew were not from God, but were from the devil trying to scare or distract me. Familiarity with the Bible has been very helpful for me there, for sure! The point is, I am to expect God to speak to me in various ways, and I am to lead those in this church to do likewise. I have never thought that prayer was just a one-way conversation, but the problem for so many is recognizing God’s replies. I need to teach them to trust God enough to be able to hear Him, however He speaks to them.

Father, thank You for speaking so faithfully and graciously. Help me not miss anything You say to me. I’ve done far too much of that! Help me also impart faith, an expectation of Your speaking, to those in this church, so that together we may be and do all that You desire and intend, for Your glory. Thank You. Praise God!

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December 26, 2012

Posted on December 28, 2012 by jgarrott

Luke 2:34-35 Then Simeon blessed them and said to Mary, his mother: “This child is destined to cause the falling and rising of many in Israel, and to be a sign that will be spoken against, so that the thoughts of many hearts will be revealed. And a sword will pierce your own soul too.”

It is very interesting how clearly a person’s heart is revealed when you ask them about Jesus. Some people are very adept at putting up fronts, and in countries with a “Christian” culture they might be able to spout platitudes, but a few questions about Jesus can strip all of that away. The thing is, Jesus is not a cultural symbol, not just a “good teacher” or even a prophet. To push the issue, He’s not even a generic Savior. To someone who has truly encountered Him, He should be your Savior, and your Lord. To someone who has not yet encountered Him, but still is a seeker whose heart is tender toward God, He is a matter of intense interest, to be investigated thoroughly. There are some marvelous ex-Muslim believers today who are examples of that. We like to think we can appear to others as we choose, but this issue will strip away our masks. Hedonists, selfish people, the rebellious, the proud, all of these and more are clearly revealed with a few questions about who Jesus is to them. It is wise to ask yourself these questions, if you desire to be pleasing to God and spend eternity with Him.

It has been very interesting to me that the most vehement objections I have gotten when talking about Jesus have been from people from nominally Christian countries. I think some of them come to Japan to get away from Christians and Christianity! However, God loves them, too, so I am not to reject them out of hand. I am to keep talking about Jesus and asking people what they think of Him in order to get them to think, examine their own hearts, and perhaps turn to Him. I cannot save anyone, but I can perhaps be useful to the Lord for Him to do so, by providing a mirror for people to see themselves and their need.

Father, I still remember so clearly that time You tapped me on the shoulder and held up a mirror for me. Thank You for Your grace. Help me love people enough to confront them with Christ, even at the risk of their rejecting me. May I always speak Your truth in love, whatever the consequences to me, so that as many as will may be saved, for Your glory. Thank You. Praise God!

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