September 5, 2012

Posted on September 8, 2012 by jgarrott

Revelation 19:10 At this I fell at his feet to worship him. But he said to me, “Do not do it! I am a fellow servant with you and with your brothers who hold to the testimony of Jesus. Worship God! For the testimony of Jesus is the spirit of prophecy.”

It is quite understandable that when the angel had just spoken what he himself had called “the true words of God” that, in the overwhelming emotions of the moment, John would have prostrated himself before the angel. That’s why it’s vitally important that this verse is in the Bible. The point is, it doesn’t matter how perfectly any individual might be used by God, that individual is not to be worshiped, God is. However, human beings have a long history of worshiping other human beings. It is sadly appropriate that popular performers today are called “idols.” Muslim attitudes toward Mohammed are an extreme example, when even a cursory reading of the Koran shows that he was hardly an exemplary human being. Another example that hits closer to home is the Catholic veneration of Mary. Formal Catholic doctrine says she is never to be worshiped, but in practical terms, huge numbers of Catholics do worship her. She would say the same thing this angel did! We tend to be in awe of people who prophesy, so the last part of the angel’s statement bears close attention. Any true prophecy, that is, speaking out what God is saying, will lift up Jesus and draw people to Him. Conversely, anyone who is genuinely testifying of Jesus is, in a sense, prophesying, because they are speaking God’s heart.

This is a subject very close to me in a number of ways. Because of my family background, I rubbed shoulders with a lot of genuinely great Christians, with E. Stanley Jones and Merrell Vories both staying in our home when they came through the area. I know first hand that every human being is just that, a human being, however much they might be used by God. Pastors indeed have authority from God to govern and shepherd their congregations, but they must never lord it over others, nor allow themselves to be placed on pedestals. That tendency has done a great deal of harm to the Church over the centuries, and continues to do so today. Paul points out repeatedly that leaders are worthy of respect, but neither the leaders nor those they lead must ever forget that we are all servants together of the Lord Jesus Christ.

Father, thank You for this reminder. Thank You for the way You taught me early on about the humanity of great men. Help me be fully available for You to do through me all that You desire, whether that gets me any recognition from people or not. Help me give others the respect they are due. And keep me from allowing any idolatry directed toward me. Thank You. Praise God!

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September 4, 2012

Posted on September 4, 2012 by jgarrott

Revelation 17:14 “They will make war against the Lamb, but the Lamb will overcome them because he is Lord of lords and King of kings–and with him will be his called, chosen and faithful followers.”

Opposition to Christ and His kingdom is a given, and should surprise no one. However, good people often are surprised, because they have tasted the goodness of God and can’t understand why anyone would be in opposition to it. The answer to that essentially lies in deception; the devil has used their innate pride and lusts (1 John 2:16) to blind them to the truth and convince them of his lies. Whatever the cause, the fact is that we are in the middle of a tremendous war, and this verse contains a sustaining truth we should never forget: we win! We may lose some skirmishes, or even some battles, but the final outcome will absolutely be victory for our Lord, and for us because we are in Him. The Japanese translation of this verse has a twist that is lacking in the NIV, which is that one of the reasons for Christ’s victory is the fact that His followers are called, chosen, and faithful. That’s something to think about! Our faithful obedience to Him is a major factor in His will being done in the earth. That’s why the first part of the Lord’s prayer – Thy kingdom come, Thy will be done – is actually a very active prayer. If we are praying that from our hearts, we are offering ourselves as God’s instruments for establishing His kingdom and doing His will. The better we understand that our doing this contributes to eventual victory, the more joyfully we will serve Him.

I can’t remember spiritual warfare being a topic of conversation in our home when I was growing up, but I think I was aware that there was opposition. I don’t remember when I was first taught about it, but certainly since experiencing the baptism in the Holy Spirit I have learned a great deal, from Scripture, from teaching, and from my own experience. As a pastor, one of my heartaches is those believers who don’t understand the battle or take it seriously, and so fall into one ambush after another, because they aren’t wearing God’s armor. (Ephesians 6:13-18) I can’t preach on it constantly, and I have gotten some kickback from what I do teach, from believers who think I am using spiritual warfare as an excuse for what they see as my failures. Also, I have frequently gotten resentment when I have pointed out to people how they have lost particular skirmishes. They don’t want to hear that! All I can do is be faithful to speak the truth in love, praying that their eyes would be opened to see the spiritual reality around them, so that they may appropriate all that God has provided for them to walk in the victory of Christ.

Father, this is an immensely important subject, yet there is so much other truth You want communicated as well. Help me hear You clearly and follow You completely in what to say when, and how, so that Your truth may penetrate hearts and minds, cutting through the chains and dispelling the fog, setting people free to walk in all that You intend for them, for Your glory. Thank You. Hallelujah!

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September 3, 2012

Posted on September 3, 2012 by jgarrott

Revelation 15:2-3 And I saw what looked like a sea of glass mixed with fire and, standing beside the sea, those who had been victorious over the beast and his image and over the number of his name. They held harps given them by God and sang the song of Moses the servant of God and the song of the Lamb.

This passage is the source of the persistent image of heaven being a place where everyone is carrying a harp. However, I think it serves better to illustrate the fact that John was out of his depth in terms of language to describe what he was seeing. After all, what are “the harps of God,” which is how the Greek puts it? For me, the best take-away is that heaven is filled with music praising God. That is entirely consistent with what my wife and others who have had “near-death experiences” report. As someone who loves music and who loves praising God, that’s a pleasant prospect! Also, though we have nothing specific in the Scriptures to say it, I would be confident that in heaven, everyone will have perfect pitch! That could well be the function of “the harps of God,” because we will all take our cues from Him and be in harmony (on all levels) with Him. We have many clues as to what heaven will be like, but nothing that is a really adequate description. That’s hardly surprising, because heaven is as infinite as God. We cannot know everything about it before we get there, and that’s just as well. We do know God’s love, and can trust that He has prepared better for us than we can imagine.

I’ve been asked about heaven/the afterlife just recently by someone who’s rather anxious about his own prospects, and rightly so, because he’s lived much of his life in rebellion against God. We are confronted with our own mortality in various ways, and one person cannot have saving faith for another. There are many for whom I care a great deal to whom I would like to impart saving faith, including the man just mentioned, but all I can do is share how God has touched me, and the Gospel that is available to us all. I am to be sensitive to God for His appointments, to be available to speak or write His words when someone is prepared to receive them. I cannot save anyone, but He can use me to save anyone. That is true for every believer, and I need to communicate it to those in this church, so that we may all operate in the expectation of God using us to draw more people into His kingdom, for His glory.

Father, it’s appropriate that the longer I’m on this earth, the more I think about leaving it. Thank You for the assurance I have, both of Your plans for me right here and of what You have prepared for me for eternity. I so desire for everyone I love to have that same assurance, yet so few of them do. I ask Your grace and mercy, and I offer myself as Your instrument to that end. Father, I ask for a mighty harvest of souls into Your kingdom, not just for this earth but for eternity, for Your glory. Thank You. Hallelujah!

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September 2, 2012

Posted on September 2, 2012 by jgarrott

Revelation 7:9-10 After this I looked and there before me was a great multitude that no one could count, from every nation, tribe, people and language, standing before the throne and in front of the Lamb. They were wearing white robes and were holding palm branches in their hands. [10] And they cried out in a loud voice: “Salvation belongs to our God, who sits on the throne, and to the Lamb.”

This passage is the hope and comfort of every evangelist and missionary. Much has been made of the 144,000 mentioned in the verses ahead of this, but verse 9 should put to rest any idea that there is some limit to those who will be saved, to rejoice before God in heaven. I love the way it piles on words for different people groups, even including language. No one is left out! However, the sad truth is that it also specifies “from.” That is, not every member of any people group will be saved. As much as we might like it to be the case, there is no Biblical justification for Universalism. That’s why evangelists and missionaries keep working! Jesus specified that every people group being reached was a condition for His return. (Matthew 24:14) That makes the work of various pioneer missionary groups all the more important. We are indeed much closer to the goal of presenting the Gospel to every people group than we have ever been before, with less than 1% of the world’s population still completely unreached. That should give extra impetus to all who are working among people who have already had the Gospel, to increase the number from their particular group while there is still time! We have no idea when Christ will return, when He will say, “Time’s up,” but we should be aware that the moment will come, and all indications are that it could well be very soon.

I have never been one to focus on “end times,” but my thoughts have been going that direction recently much more than before. I do pray for a massive end time harvest in Japan before the final trumpet, and I have committed my life to that end. There are so many I want to take to heaven with me! It’s less than a month until I reach the age at which my father was told, “Well done, good and faithful servant.” I fully expect to be on this earth considerably longer than that, but I am very aware that our time is limited, in one way or another. My priorities could use more refining, and it never hurts to have more zeal. At the same time, I am sharply aware that I can do nothing worthwhile unless God does it through me. I am to be totally committed to Him, available and obedient for whatever He wants to do through me, knowing that my reward is with Him.

Father, thank You for the privilege of being Your servant. Thank You that I have no reason to be anxious about anything, because You are God, and You are love. Help me rest, relax, and rejoice in You more and more consistently, allowing Your love and grace to flow through me unhindered. I do pray for harvest, and I pray for workers to join me in the harvest field, so that all the hindrances may be torn town and massive numbers of people be brought into Your kingdom, for their salvation and Your glory. Thank You. Hallelujah!

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September 1, 2012

Posted on September 2, 2012 by jgarrott

Revelation 6:9 When he opened the fifth seal, I saw under the altar the souls of those who had been slain because of the word of God and the testimony they had maintained.

This verse needs to be read in parallel with Revelation 12:11, or it might make people even more hesitant to testify of their salvation and Christ Jesus their Lord. It is quite true that, down through the centuries and now more than ever before, people have been and are being killed because of being outspoken Christians. A clear testimony makes non-Christians uncomfortable! This is increasingly evident in the US today, with the homosexual and pro-abortion groups being increasingly vehement against any expression of Christian faith. Most Americans probably thought Christian persecution could never happen in the US, but it is indeed going on, though at nowhere near the rate as in some other countries. Nigeria has been adding to the “souls under the throne” almost daily recently, and there is no end to similar stories from other countries as well. What is called for is an eternal perspective. We need to remember that physical death isn’t necessarily defeat. 12:11 says, “They overcame him by the blood of the Lamb and by the word of their testimony; they did not love their lives so much as to shrink from death.” When we have that perspective, we will stand firmly on the Word of God and proclaim that Jesus is Lord.

I have commented before that I don’t feel like I’ve ever been persecuted for my faith, but I have been yelled at, ridiculed, and generally put down for it. The flesh doesn’t even like that! I do not know what the future holds, for me or for the flock in my care, but I do know that a heavenly perspective will help us rise above unpleasant circumstances, whatever they might be. In Japanese, today’s verse says, “the testimony they themselves had raised up.” I need to give the believers the desire to establish strong testimonies, and to help them in doing that. If I succeed, that will be a strong testimony for me as well!

Father, thank You for this Word. I do pray for my persecuted brothers and sisters around the world. There are so many of them! I can understand that they would be crying out, “How long, O Lord!” I pray for protection, provision, comfort, and patient endurance for them. Help me be faithful in my prayers, and faithful as a witness in my own circumstances. May we as a church be an effective demonstration of Christ to those around us, so that as many as possible may be brought from darkness to light, from death to life, for their salvation and Your glory. Thank You. Hallelujah!

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August 31, 2012

Posted on September 2, 2012 by jgarrott

Revelation 3:19-20 Those whom I love I rebuke and discipline. So be earnest, and repent. Here I am! I stand at the door and knock. If anyone hears my voice and opens the door, I will come in and eat with him, and he with me.

This is an absolutely magnificent promise of Scripture, but it is misused a majority of the time, because people only use verse 20, and they use it for evangelizing non-believers. That can be an effective “off label” use, but that’s not what Jesus is talking about here. He is talking to believers who have lost their fellowship with Him by being self-satisfied and content, failing to recognize their need for more of God. That part is clear enough from the verses before this, but somehow people fail to make the connection with verse 20. Verse 19 should be the clue. He makes it clear that, as it says in Proverbs 3:11-12, quoted in Hebrews 12:4-11, discipline doesn’t mean God doesn’t love us. God is too good a parent to spoil His children! What Jesus is saying is that He wants to fellowship with us. After all, that’s what eating together is all about. “Fellowship meals” have been a feature of worshiping God ever since Moses at Sinai. Sometimes they get corrupted, as has happened from time to time down through the centuries and as Paul dealt with in 1 Corinthians 12, but that doesn’t mean the concept isn’t valid. Jesus is saying He wants that kind of fellowship with us! When you think about it, that’s rather mind boggling. However, I keep coming back to the reality that God wants neither pew warmers nor slaves; He wants obedient children with whom He can have a good time in warm fellowship.

As a parent of adult children I can really identify with this. I like nothing better than good, adult fellowship with my children, both my physical children and my spiritual children. If I’m having to spend my time correcting them, it’s not so much fun! Likewise, it is painful when they seem uninterested in having fellowship with me. God is pleased with our labors for Him, and He rewards them, (1 Corinthians 3:8, Hebrews 10:25, 2 John 1:8) but what He is after even more than that is fellowship with us. I try to get that across to people, but many, if not most, seem to have a hard time grasping it. That may be because they never really experienced fellowship with their physical parents, but I’m not sure. However, I’m not to give up. I need to keep pressing in for deeper fellowship myself, based on obedient, trusting faith, and I need to keep telling people, with the words the Holy Spirit supplies, about how God loves them so much He not only sent His Son to die for them, He desires to fellowship with them for all eternity, starting right now.

Father, this is a powerful truth You have been building in me over the years. Help me communicate it more and more effectively, so that You may have the warm, close family You desire, for Your glory. Thank You. Hallelujah!

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August 30, 2012

Posted on August 30, 2012 by jgarrott

Revelation 2:20 “Nevertheless, I have this against you: You tolerate that woman Jezebel, who calls herself a prophetess. By her teaching she misleads my servants into sexual immorality and the eating of food sacrificed to idols.”

Just because someone claims to hear from God or seems very “spiritual” is no reason not to examine them closely in the light of Scripture. There have been false teachers throughout history, and Jesus specifically warned against them. (Matthew 7:15-20) Jesus gave a very practical method for recognizing them, and that is to look at the results they produce. Sometimes those results are immediately obvious, and sometimes it takes a little more time. The latter, being more subtle, is more dangerous. That’s why it is very important to be fully familiar with Scripture, to recognize early on when some teaching or some teacher is off track. Having said that, I also need to point out the danger of refusing to follow God because “we never did it that way before.” That was a real factor in the opposition to the Charismatic Movement, because God pouring His Spirit out on “ordinary” believers threatened the power structure, just as it has through the ages. For the church in Thyatira, the give-away was that this woman’s teaching was leading to immorality. Throughout the Bible that has clearly been against God’s will, however much our flesh might desire it. We are not to reject every new teaching just because it seems new to us, but we are to examine both whether it is rooted in Scripture and whether those who teach it are genuinely Christ-like.

Having been involved in the Charismatic Movement for almost 40 years, I’ve seen both sides of this issue. I’ve seen a genuine move of God be opposed by established Church leaders, and I’ve seen some teachers who were real flakes. This is why such people as Jack Hayford are so widely respected: they have proved their obedience to God by their lives and the fruit of their ministry. That is of course my personal goal as well. I am not to go running after the “manifestation of the week,” but neither am I to reject something just because I had never thought of it before. The Lord opens up His Word to me more and more with new insights, and I am not to reject them. However, I am to be sure they line up with the totality of Scripture, and confirm that they lead me and others into closer fellowship with and obedience to God. There are indeed lying spirits out there!

Father, thank You for Your faithfulness. Thank You that I don’t have to be afraid that You are ever going to lead me astray. Thank You for the wider audience for my teaching that the Internet gives me. I have no direct control over how my words are received and interpreted, so I ask You to guide and protect each person who receives what You are saying through me, whether they are local or not. May Your words through me draw many into the fellowship and obedience that You desire, for their great blessing and Your glory. Thank You. Praise God!

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August 29, 2012

Posted on August 29, 2012 by jgarrott

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

This is the common thread in what Jesus said to each of the seven churches, which is all the more reason to pay close attention to it. Pergamum had a real problem with demonically inspired teaching circulating in the church, so in a sense this was particularly acute for them. It is important to note that Jesus uses the plural – churches – here. He isn’t talking about someone getting some “inspiration” on their own, that disagrees with what God is saying to others. We have the enormous advantage of having the whole Bible readily available to anyone, so it’s very easy to see if what we are feeling agrees with what the Holy Spirit has said to others. We need to take full advantage of that! That’s why familiarity with Scripture is so important, especially for anyone in leadership. There was a period of hundreds of years in Church history when it was rare for even bishops to have read through the entire Bible, much less read it multiple times. That’s how many extra-biblical and unbiblical traditions got in; people weren’t sufficiently familiar with the standard of truth. It is ironic that so few Christians even today are really familiar with the Bible, when it is so readily available in most countries. I think a major part of the problem is that people don’t really grasp the fact that it is what God wants to say to them, if they will just listen. Add to that the fear that God might say something to them that they don’t want to hear, and you have a full aversion to regular Bible reading. What a waste!

Growing up in the family I had, I read through the Bible for the first time when I was 10 (largely to kill time during my father’s sermons in Japanese). I had received that Bible in relation to my baptism at age 7, and the Revised Standard Version still seems very familiar to me in consequence. However, knowing the words didn’t mean I was necessarily absorbing the truth they contained. We have a remarkable ability to compartmentalize our lives, failing to make the connections between one part and another, and I certainly exercised that ability! I was 24 years old, married and with a young daughter, when the Lord tapped me on the shoulder and showed me a spiritual mirror, so to speak, so that I could see the condition of my heart. It was devastating! I wish I could say I immediately got into a solid habit of regular Bible reading and prayer, but that wasn’t the case. It wasn’t until a few years later that I discovered the joy of hearing from the Lord regularly through His Word. A few years ago Wayne Cordiero came from Hawaii to speak at a conference here, and I learned the SOAP (Scripture, Observation, Application, Prayer) system of journaling. I had been journaling in my devotions before, but this was very helpful, and I’ve been using it ever since. I have also had the joy of teaching it to others, for their blessing. However, if they don’t have the fundamental desire to hear what the Spirit is saying, they don’t continue. My prayers and my teaching need to be focused on getting them hungry for more of God, and then teaching them how to eat.

Father, thank You for Your faithfulness to speak to me by Your Spirit, through Your Word and otherwise. Help me indeed lead others to grasp that You want to do the same for them, and give them a hunger to receive, so that together we may become all that You desire and intend, for Your glory. Thank You. Hallelujah!

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August 28, 2012

Posted on August 29, 2012 by jgarrott

Revelation 2:9, 10 “I know your afflictions and your poverty–yet you are rich! Be faithful, even to the point of death, and I will give you the crown of life.”

Jesus’ letter to the church in Smyrna has got to be one of the most encouraging possible to persecuted believers everywhere. In the first place it makes it very clear that Jesus is not unaware of their suffering. Sometimes we might feel that God has forgotten us, but that is never the case. Often we don’t know why we have to go through suffering, but the Bible assures us it will eventually all be worth it. The temptation to give up might be severe, but giving up is always simply a temptation, and never the will of God for us. I really like the parenthetical remark Jesus inserts here. He has just said He is aware of the believers’ poverty, but then He says, “Though actually you are rich.” it really does help to be reminded of our spiritual riches, but only if our value system has been adjusted to the heavenly perspective. For someone who doesn’t value all that has been done for them in Christ, telling them they are rich when they don’t have any money can seem like a slap in the face. Jesus’ remarks remind me of what Paul wrote about the Macedonian believers: “Out of the most severe trial, their overflowing joy and their extreme poverty welled up in rich generosity.” Understanding our spiritual riches really does give us a much better perspective on everything else. However, that’s not to say that’s going to make things easy. Jesus goes on to warn the believers in Smyrna that at least some will be martyred. Then He puts the crown on it – literally! Martyrdom on earth can seem like a small thing when we are truly looking forward to the crown of life.

I have never experienced what I would call persecution for my faith, but I can still identify somewhat with this passage. I’ve never been what I, or the world, would consider affluent, but I have been “rich” for a long time now. I recently had to get an official Statement of Income for last year in relation to the purchase of the land the church building stands on, and even I was a little surprised at how small the figure was. However, God has met our needs beautifully, time and time again, and even on a material scale, many people think we are fairly well-to-do. As a pastor, I need to help the believers understand that the same spiritual riches are already provided for them, so that they may open their eyes and their hearts to appropriate them. I have seen clearly that as long as someone is focused on the material, they are never satisfied; they are always needy. However, if their hearts are fixed on Christ, they can be content whatever their circumstances, just as Paul was. (Philippians 4:12) That should be a personal goal, for me and for my flock.

Father, thank You for Your amazing grace. You indeed bless abundantly, even in the material realm. It was fun telling the church Sunday what You have done for them in relation to the land purchase. I do pray that the final steps in the paperwork would go smoothly and quickly. May we all learn more and more to rest, relax, and rejoice in You, whatever we might be going through at the moment, so that we may walk in the abundance You have provided for us in Christ, for Your glory. Thank You. Praise God!

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August 27, 2012

Posted on August 29, 2012 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. If you do not repent, I will come to you and remove your lampstand from its place.”

This is an excellent lesson in how God’s perspective is different from ours. The church in Ephesus was one of the “mega churches” of the day, and they seemed to have it all together. They had good programs and good theology. However, Jesus says that doesn’t cut it. We can do all the right things, but if we don’t do them out of love for God and love for our neighbor, they are worthless. This is a profound illustration of 1 Corinthians 13:1-3. God sees our hearts and knows why we do things. However much we might be able to fool society around us, we can’t fool God. In His eyes, someone who might seem to be doing very little, yet who is doing whatever they do for the right reasons, is far more to be commended than someone who is doing a great deal, but for the wrong reasons. The problem is, we have become experts in fooling even ourselves as to what our motives are. We need to be humble before the Lord and let the Holy Spirit shine in our hearts, exposing all the deceptions and allowing us to repent. God isn’t “out to get us,” but He will not be fooled, and He desires pure hearts more than anything else. After all, our hearts are going to spend eternity with Him; our bodies are strictly secondary.

I certainly can’t claim perfection here, but at the same time I think my motives are mostly right. It’s very interesting that the Lord would have me read this passage when we just had an open concert here at the church yesterday, and today I set up for a one-man photo show in the city gallery. I was tempted by wrong motives in the concert planning, and that’s even more of an issue with the photo show. God has gifted me with eyes to see the beauty in His creation, and this is an opportunity to share that beauty with others. There is very much the temptation to feel I took these pictures, but letting that dominate my heart would eliminate all benefit of the show for me. I need to pray for those who come to the gallery and use the larger pictures as media to get people interested in the Scripture photo cards I will have available. My motive needs to be love for God and love for my neighbor just as much as that needs to be the case for anyone else.

Father, thank You for this very timely reminder. I do pray that Your purposes, for yesterday’s concert and for the photo show, may all be fulfilled. Thank You for enabling me to get the CD of the concert done already. Guide in how much that is shared, and in the impact. I pray that the people You want to come to the gallery would indeed do so, and that my interaction with them would be fully controlled by Your Spirit, drawing them to repentance and faith, for their salvation and Your glory. Thank You. Praise God!

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