August 16, 2012

Posted on August 19, 2012 by jgarrott

1 Peter 4:7 The end of all things is near. Therefore be clear minded and self-controlled so that you can pray.

Verses 10 and 11 of this chapter are extremely important and helpful in understanding and applying spiritual gifts, and I use them often. However this verse, though actually of equal importance, is not one I have quoted so much. From our perspective, we would say that Peter was off the mark in saying “The end of all things is near.” After all, it’s been almost 2000 years since he wrote this! However, from his perspective the end was only a couple of years off. We tend to forget that when we leave these bodies we are taken out of time, just as God is outside of time. For no one alive today is “the end of all things” more than 100 years away! That’s not to say that God isn’t going to bring an end to this world, just as He has said, but it is to say that speculation on an individual basis is meaningless. Every one of us has a distinctly limited time left, and we need to make the use of that time that God intends. Verses 10 and 11 deal with our external activities, and that is important, but this verse deals with our response to the “greatest commandment,” to love God with all we are. (Matthew 22:37-40) (Actually, verses 8 and 9 deal with the “second commandment.”) Our relationship with God, expressed and deepened through prayer, should be our first priority. Anything that gets in the way of a heart attitude of prayer needs to be dealt with. We tend to think of prayer as something apart from our daily lives, or at best an element of our lives. However, the Biblical ideal is constant fellowship with God. Paul said things like, “For me to live is Christ,” (Philippians 1:21) and “I no longer live, but Christ lives in me,” (Galatians 2:20) and he told us to “pray continually.” (1 Thessalonians 5:17) When we are in constant fellowship with God we enjoy all that He intends for us, and we are open channels for that to flow through us to those around us.

Prayer has always seemed a very natural activity for me, but I realize that’s not the case for most people. At the same time, I don’t take full advantage of all the opportunities I have for prayer. I’m still growing! Frankly, as I realize that “the end of all things” for me is indeed nearer than it once was, it’s easier to make prayer a higher priority than before. I’ve got to remember that I don’t have to, nor should I, wait until I’m bedridden to “pray continually!” I still do things like get defensive or lose my temper, and those are clear evidence that I’m not in continual, full fellowship with my Lord. As a pastor, I am not only responsible for myself in this area, I am charged with helping everyone in the church progress as well. As in any church, they are all across the spectrum on this, so I need God’s wisdom and anointing in guiding them. I have preached the past two Sundays on “Knowing God,” which is a step in the right direction, but I desire that we all come to the place of such intimate fellowship with God that we express Christ fully in all we are, say, and do.

Father, You know even better than I do that this isn’t something I can even begin to accomplish on my own. I ask You to infill and use me by Your Spirit so that indeed, I will no longer live, but Christ lives in me in every detail, for Your glory. Thank You. Hallelujah!

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August 15, 2012

Posted on August 19, 2012 by jgarrott

1 Peter 3:7 Husbands, in the same way be considerate as you live with your wives, and treat them with respect as the weaker partner and as heirs with you of the gracious gift of life, so that nothing will hinder your prayers.

This is an enormously practical and helpful Scripture for any husband. Particularly for the time in which it was written it was enormously advanced. There has been a lot of discussion as to what “weaker vessel” is all about, because in some areas women are actually stronger than men, but I think it’s fairly obvious that it’s talking about physical strength. After all, in the 1st Century there were no motors of any sort to do anything, so wind and water were the only alternatives to human or animal muscle power. The thing is, greater muscle strength in men has led to all sorts of aberrations, most especially physical abuse. What is revolutionary about this verse is Peter’s saying that husbands must respect their wives, going so far as to say they are equal heirs of God’s grace. Even today, in many countries the average husband has little or no respect for his wife, or wives. Women are seen as accessory to men, to be used rather than respected. Peter is throwing that idea out the window, and of all the apostles, he is the only one we are positive was indeed married. Men and women are so fundamentally different that it is remarkable that they are even able to give blood to each other! God commanded marriage so that each could “fill in the gaps” in the other. That’s one of many reasons why homosexual “marriage” is such an absurdity. The last line of this verse has been noticed, and experienced, by many Christian men. If the marital relationship is out of line, then the relationship of either spouse with the Lord is out of line. A man who is not respecting his wife quickly finds that the heavens are brass, and his prayers go nowhere!

I have found that this is a valuable indicator of whether I am respecting my wife properly. We can have differences of opinion and there still be no problems, but as soon as I let my respect for her slip, I lose my fellowship not only with her, but with the Lord. As I tell couples in counseling, I consider marriage to be God’s second greatest blessing, the first being salvation in Christ Jesus. However, I also tell them that marriage is the biggest job of their lives – but it brings the greatest rewards. I am thankful to have the opportunity to perform quite a few weddings, and especially to counsel the couples before the ceremony, because I see so few marriages that express what Peter is talking about. Very few of the couples I marry are Christians, sadly enough, but I can express the Gospel to them in a context and at a time when they are very sensitive, and I believe God uses that.

Father, thank You indeed for the blessing of marriage, and for the wife and partner You have given me. Thank You for the witness our relationship is to those who see us, as an indication of what marriage can and should be. Help us continue to grow in our relationship, as equal heirs of Your grace, for Your glory. Thank You. Praise God!

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August 14, 2012 – bonus

Posted on August 14, 2012 by jgarrott

1 Peter 2:24 He himself bore our sins in his body on the tree, so that we might die to sins and live for righteousness; by his wounds you have been healed.

I was introduced to the last part of this verse very early in my participation in the Charismatic Movement, but I can’t recall that I’ve ever heard a sermon on the first part. (It’s quite probable that I have, but just don’t remember it.) It actually contains an extremely important truth that is all too often overlooked: Jesus didn’t die on the cross just to get us into heaven, He did so in order that we would depart from sin and live for righteousness. Many people seem to want Jesus as their ticket to heaven, but they don’t want Him messing with their daily lives. How blind! If Jesus isn’t your Lord, then He isn’t your Savior, either. That truth keeps coming out again and again throughout the Bible. Even in the OT the prophets frequently took the people to task for going through the motions without having hearts that were committed to God. People today want Jesus to heal them physically, but they don’t want to depart from their sins (which is how the Japanese puts it). God delights to meet our physical needs of all sorts, but Jesus essentially ran from the people who wanted to follow Him after He fed a huge crowd with one person’s lunch. He desires people who will worship Him in spirit and in truth (John 4:23-24), not people who are just looking for handouts. It’s interesting how often I’m reminded of Daniel’s three friends. They knew that God was able to save them physically, but that wasn’t why they served Him. They served Him because He alone is worthy of all our praise, worship, service, and obedience. (Daniel 3:16-18) That attitude indeed “seeks first His kingdom and His righteousness.” (Matthew 6:33)

I’ve had struggles with my own level of obedience over the years, but the attitude of being in it for what you can get out of it is certainly rampant today. Even within the Church people chase feelings and manifestations, going from conference to conference and never really settling down to work in a local church. (That’s not so much of a problem in Japan, because there aren’t so many conferences!) I deal with people all the time who “follow Christ” for a while because they are after something they want, and if they don’t get it, they discard the pretense of faith. Jesus didn’t die to give us “easy street,” He died so that we might depart from sin and live for righteousness, as Peter says here. My task is to help people realize that their need for a Savior isn’t just for some immediate difficulty, it is a matter of their eternal destiny, and Jesus is more than worthy of their total commitment and obedience.

Father, thank You for this reminder. May I communicate this truth effectively by Your Spirit, so that many will receive it, repent, and believe, for their salvation and Your glory. Thank You. Hallelujah!

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August 14, 2012

Posted on August 14, 2012 by jgarrott

1 Peter 1:18-19 For you know that it was not with perishable things such as silver or gold that you were redeemed from the empty way of life handed down to you from your forefathers, but with the precious blood of Christ, a lamb without blemish or defect.

This verse is particularly appropriate in Japan at this time of year. We are in the second day of the annual Obon Festival, which is a time of honoring dead ancestors. Even non-Christian Japanese are likely to acknowledge the absurdity of most of the traditions involved in the festival, but that doesn’t keep them from taking part, because it’s a “traditional, family time.” Even those who follow Christ sometimes have a hard time separating from the idolatry involved, again because it is “family tradition.” The point is, traditions are very powerful, and should not be taken lightly. Many churches have been split over traditions! Traditions are not bad because they are traditions, but they can be risky if we follow them blindly. We are too prone to think that in following our traditions we are following God, when sometimes it is those very traditions that get in the way of our hearing God.

Having been raised in a strongly Christian family, I have been tempted to think all our traditions were unquestionable, but that was indeed a temptation, and as such, not from God. It’s not that our family traditions were bad, it’s that I needed to have the direct relationship with God that generated those traditions, and not rely on the traditions themselves. When we were newly married, it was a major collision between Cathy and me when we came to our first Christmas. Reconciling our differing family traditions took a lot of work! There were reasons for each tradition, and we had to examine not just the tradition but the reason for it. At that point we weren’t so tuned to listening to God, or it would have gone much more smoothly! Our daughters have their own traditions now, and thankfully they have come back to the reasons for some of the traditions they grew up with. As a pastor, I need to help the believers examine not only the sources of their traditions, but also the results of them. Biblical traditions, that is, those that line up with the Bible, will produce not only peace and joy but also a closer walk with God.

Father, thank You for the traditions in which I grew up. Thank You especially for parents and grandparents who loved You so fully. I ask for Your wisdom and anointing as I minister to those who have not been so blessed in their upbringing, so that together we may avoid the traps of the devil and walk in all that You have for us, for Your glory. Thank You. Praise God!

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August 13, 2012

Posted on August 14, 2012 by jgarrott

1 Peter 1:3 Praise be to the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ! In his great mercy he has given us new birth into a living hope through the resurrection of Jesus Christ from the dead.

This verse and the ones following should go a long way toward giving any believer the right perspective on whatever it is they’re going through, however unpleasant it might be at the moment. Peter starts with praising God, which is a good place for anyone to start! Then he reminds us, starting here and going on for several verses, just how gracious God has been to us. He bases what he says on the resurrection of Jesus Christ, which is a historical fact that he witnessed personally, so he writes with total assurance. Peter’s first letter is the only place apart from John 3 that we find direct reference to being born gain, or new birth. Peter was probably present that night when Nicodemus came to see Jesus, and the Holy Spirit probably brought Jesus’ words back to his memory many times. From his own experience of going from being an impetuous boaster to being a rock-solid leader of the Church, Peter doubtless thought being born again was a very appropriate expression! But what he said we have been born into is what grabs my attention this morning. The hope that we have in Christ is a living thing that can’t be killed by physical circumstances, or even by physical death. Our hope is based on Jesus Christ, who was crucified, buried, and yet rose from the grave, and 40 days later ascended into heaven, where He is seated at the right hand of the Father, (Luke 22:69) interceding for us. (Hebrews 7:25) Because He will never die, our hope will never die!

This is indeed a glorious reality, and yet my own grasp of it sometimes wavers. Like those to whom I minister, sometimes I am distracted by strictly temporal things. Our bodies, for example, can be very demanding of attention! I am never to belittle physical or emotional suffering, but even in the middle of it I am to strive to keep the focus on Jesus Christ. When it’s not so easy to do for myself, I certainly need the help of the Holy Spirit in assisting others in doing it! However, the rewards are immense. When we can indeed keep our focus on Christ, then His peace and joy flood us and carry us through all the junk that surrounds us. I am to be an example of that to other believers, not putting on a false front but rather being honest about my own struggles, but still demonstrating that it is possible for us to abide in Christ whatever our circumstances might be. My own struggles should teach me how to help and encourage others. If I am faithful to my Lord, then He will be faithful to use me to bless others.

Father, thank You for this glorious reality. Thank You for the privilege of visiting my friend yesterday after his cancer surgery. Thank You that he is not only a friend, but a brother in Christ. I do pray that he and his wife would be powerfully strengthened, comforted and encouraged by Your Holy Spirit, not just for their sakes but as a witness to the many who know and love them, so that this may result in a beautiful harvest in Your kingdom, for Your glory. Thank You. Praise God!

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August 12, 2012

Posted on August 14, 2012 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.

People often fail to do either of the things commanded in this verse, and so fail to see power manifested in their prayers. Centuries ago confession of sin was corrupted into formalized confession to clergy. There are times when confession to clergy can be helpful, because confessing to an invisible God can seem impersonal to someone who doesn’t have a close relationship with Him. However, here James is clearly talking about ordinary believers confessing to one another. This is particularly important in the area of confessing our guilt to someone against whom we have sinned. Granted, that can be particularly difficult, but it is especially powerful. As the Bible says repeatedly, we are to forgive one another, (Colossians 3:13) so both parties are to be involved, but our confession isn’t to be dependent on an expectation of forgiveness. We cannot control what the other person will do, but we are responsible for our own actions. The other thing that people fail to do is pray for one another. We are glib to say we’ll pray, but that’s often where it stops. One of my seminary professors, Dr. Cal Guy, was an excellent example in this area. If someone asked him to pray for something, he would pray right there on the spot, wherever it happened to be. Quite a few students were shocked the first time it happened to them! A major reason people don’t pray is that we don’t see ourselves as righteous, We accept the last part of this verse as true, but don’t believe it applies to us. That’s because we haven’t been confessing our sins, and so don’t have assurance of forgiveness! None of us is righteous in ourselves, but as 1 John 1:9 says, all it takes for cleansing is repentant confession. The moment we do that, we put on the righteousness of Christ, (1 Corinthians 1:30 and many more) and that is perfect. We need to keep our repentance and confession up to date so that we will have full assurance that our prayers are “powerful and effective.”

I have emulated Dr. Guy in the area of prayer for many years now, but frankly, the area of confession has been a bit more sketchy. There have been a few times that I have had a brother in Christ to whom I could confess freely, but that hasn’t been constant. One problem has been that as a pastor, I have wanted to present an image of being totally obedient to Christ, to encourage the believers to aim for that goal. That particular rationalization has been the downfall of many! I need to be open about my failures, so that the believers may have the understanding that forgiveness is as available to them as it is to me, and that God can use them as easily as He does me. The risk is in the perception of spiritual authority, but I must remember that my authority doesn’t reside in me anyway, and not fear what people think of me or don’t think of me.

Father, thank You for this reminder. I am reminded also that I don’t have the wisdom to shepherd Your flock rightly, so I ask You to give me whatever is necessary. May we as a church continue to grow in all the ways that You intend, to be and do what You desire, for Your glory. Thank You. Praise God!

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August 11, 2012

Posted on August 11, 2012 by jgarrott

James 4:7-10 Submit yourselves, then, to God. Resist the devil, and he will flee from you. Come near to God and he will come near to you. Wash your hands, you sinners, and purify your hearts, you double-minded. Grieve, mourn and wail. Change your laughter to mourning and your joy to gloom. Humble yourselves before the Lord, and he will lift you up.

I have always liked the first and last parts of this passage, but not the middle. However, I feel the Lord has given me insight this morning. As I have preached repeatedly, resisting the devil so that he flees is dependent on submitting to God first. However, it used to bother me that this passage seems to be very down on laughter, particularly so as I have known of some very dour Christians who used it as justification for squelching everything in sight. What the Lord just showed me is the context, and that is very similar to the situation in the US right now. The Bible is never against wholesome laughter, but this is talking about the laughter of people who are clearly not submitted to God. It doesn’t take five minutes of TV channel surfing to find that kind of laughter! Repentance is far more than emotions, but genuine repentance will certainly include emotions. What this passage is talking about is an echo of one I have heard appropriately quoted a great deal recently: “If my people, who are called by my name, will humble themselves and pray and seek my face and turn from their wicked ways, then will I hear from heaven and will forgive their sin and will heal their land.” (2 Chronicles 7:14) America, perhaps more than any nation other than Israel, has been a nation that tried to be, and thought of itself as, the people of God. That degraded terribly in the second half of the 20th Century, and how the nation has the sort of government it’s been asking for. As a democracy (of sorts) there is the opportunity to change the government in an election this fall, but unless there is genuine repentance, the election will only change the faces, not the character, of the government. There are some encouraging signs that the real people of God are indeed waking up, but genuine repentance – which includes a change of lifestyle – is essential.

With the Pacific Ocean between us, things in the US are at something of a remove. However, with family and friends, including children and grandchildren, there, I am certainly involved. I must not think I have no repenting to do myself! I am sure that there are things in me that are not pleasing to my Lord, and I must be completely willing to get rid of them. That doesn’t mean that I’m to run around with a long face all the time. That certainly wouldn’t draw people to receive salvation in Christ! However, I am to be serious in my prayers, never flippant or casual, understanding fully that for my prayers to have the desired effect, I’ve got to be fully submitted to the Lord myself.

Father, thank You for this Word this morning. Help me put it into practice indeed, not just saying things need to change, but making changes. May I be Your agent in every detail, so that Your purposes may be accomplished on Your schedule through me for Your glory. Thank You. Praise God!

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August 10, 2012

Posted on August 11, 2012 by jgarrott

James 2:26 As the body without the spirit is dead, so faith without deeds is dead.

This verse is the capstone on James’ reasoned argument from verse 14 on, and as such is extremely to the point. Martin Luther disliked James precisely for this passage, because he had seen his way through the religious system of the day to come back to the doctrine of salvation by faith, not works, and from that perspective, this seemed to contradict that extremely important truth. His motto, with which he got the whole Protestant Reformation going, was, “Faith Alone!” Understanding his circumstances makes it easier to forgive him for not grasping the truth of these words, even though his own faith was very active and did a very great deal. What James is talking about is people who proclaim their faith without living it out. Even Jesus had strong words for such people: “Why do you call me, ‘Lord, Lord,’ and do not do what I say?” (Luke 6:46) It’s like the story of Blondin, the famous French tightrope walker of the late 19th Century who, after he had demonstrated that he could cross Niagara Falls pushing a wheel barrow, asked if the onlookers believed he could successfully take a person across in the wheel barrow. Everyone insisted they believed he could, but then he asked for a volunteer to ride in the wheel barrow, and everyone got very quiet. (Eventually he carried his manager across.) The whole point is that saving faith generates obedience to the Savior.

There was a time in my life when my faith was more words than action, but God very graciously allowed me to get a glimpse of my own heart, and I broke down in tears, saying, “My Lord and my God,” just as Thomas did. (John 20:28) As a pastor, this isn’t an easy area, because I know full well that people aren’t born into God’s family with instant maturity, and the younger they are the more messes they make. However, I must not let anyone think that all they have to do to get into God’s kingdom is say a few words and that’s all. (My grandfather called that attitude, “Into bliss and out of blister.”) Anyone with saving faith is going to seek to follow Christ. I’m not to go around deciding who’s saved and who isn’t, but I am to be discerning, especially when it comes to giving authority in the church. My goal is to be producing disciples, not pew warmers.

Father, thank You for the maturing work You have been doing in this church, as well as the weeding out of some who chose not to grow in faith and obedience. Such weeding is always painful for me, but no more so than for You, I know. Help me be both active and growing in my own faith, as well as effectively nurturing solid, active faith in the believers, so that together we may be what You want us to be, doing what You want us to do, for Your glory. Thank You. Hallelujah!

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August 9, 2012

Posted on August 11, 2012 by jgarrott

James 1:25 But the man who looks intently into the perfect law that gives freedom, and continues to do this, not forgetting what he has heard, but doing it–he will be blessed in what he does.

I quote verse 22 very often, but this is an expansion of the truth in that verse. Failing to follow the Word of God that we hear is indeed deceiving ourselves, but the converse is true as well, and that is what this verse expresses. In the first place, this isn’t talking about a casual look at the Bible, it’s talking about digging into it, studying and meditating on it. Modern conveniences have raised up a generation that wants everything to be instant, even pre-digested. I run into quite a few people who like devotional periodicals but they don’t like to simply read the Bible. That’s hardly “looking intently into the perfect Law!” The problem is, failing to appreciate the Bible for what it is cuts us off from much of the inexpressible riches God has prepared for us. James says very clearly here that anyone who indeed puts down roots in the Word, absorbing its spiritual nutrition, will be be blessed by what they do. You cannot really look into the Word and fail to act, and such action brings blessings that come no other way. The problem is, with our modern short attention spans, we tend to do exactly what this passage says not to do: we look, and then promptly forget. That’s what the devil wants us to do, not God!

I have fallen into this trap myself, with the added twist that I have retained knowledge of the Bible without really “looking into it intent­ly.” As a result, too often I have taken it lightly, with the contempt that comes with familiarity. It does little good to quote Scripture if you aren’t practicing it! Thankfully, God has been more than gracious, and He has grown me into a genuine love of His Word, to the point that I have considerable empathy with the author of Psalm 119. However, as a pastor I want all of the believers to have such a love, not simply for the Bible but for the One who caused it to be written by His Spirit. It is a common occurrence for me to say something that seems completely obvious to me, but which impacts my hearers as something “really deep.” I need to take that into account and express God’s truth in love, which includes putting it in terms that can be understood and received. I don’t want my hearers to forget, and lose the blessing!

Father, thank You for Your Word and for the privilege of sharing it. Help me indeed look into it intently to put it into practice myself, so that I will not teach others, only to be disqualified myself. (1 Corinthians 9:27) Help me be a pure, undistorted transmission channel, so that Your Word may flow freely through me to accomplish every­thing for which You send it, for Your glory. (Isaiah 55:11) Thank You. Praise God!

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August 8, 2012

Posted on August 11, 2012 by jgarrott

James 1:16-17 Don’t be deceived, my dear brothers. Every good and perfect gift is from above, coming down from the Father of the heavenly lights, who does not change like shifting shadows.

The devil never gives anyone anything good, but he sure tries to take credit for stuff. James is trying throughout his letter to protect his readers from the devil’s deceptions. Actually, these days, at least in Western nations, the devil doesn’t try to get good stuff attributed to some idol. Instead, he tells people they created it themselves, with no divine intervention at all, or that it came about completely by chance. That’s the premise of Secular Humanism, and it essentially removes all moral framework from society. Another variation is being tried by the current US government, replacing God with Government. A recent statement by the president, essentially saying that no one can accomplish anything without the help of Government, is a clear example of that. James urges us not to be deceived! “Stingy” is one of the last things God could rightly be accused of, but the devil tries to foster an entitlement mentality so that we will be dissatisfied with the abundance God pours out on us. Focusing on what we don’t have (from our viewpoint) robs us of peace and joy and robs God of the thanks and praise He deserves.

This is something that trips me up only occasionally, but there are many around me who seem to be stuck in it. They are truly to be pitied! I have been amazed to discover how difficult it can be to get someone into an “attitude of gratitude,” as the saying goes. I have worked with physically handicapped people who wallowed in their handicaps, demanding that everything be given to them, and I have worked with handicapped people who were magnificent examples of making the best, grateful use of what they had, rather than bemoaning what they didn’t have. The thing is, as Cathy’s sign language teacher in her junior college days said, we are all handicapped, it’s just that some people’s handicaps are more obvious than others. I have come to this firm conviction myself, but helping other people realize it often isn’t easy. I need to teach what James said, with the emphasis on “every,” so that more and more people may come into the emotional richness of grateful appreciation for all that God pours out on them.

Father, I am sometimes in awe of all that You do for me. It is amusing to see how “well to do” people think we are, compared with our monetary income, because You bless us in so many ways that the tax office has no interest in. Help me grow this flock to indeed seek first Your kingdom and Your righteousness, (Matthew 6:33) with grateful appreciation for all You pour out on us, so that we won’t allow the devil to steal any of our peace and joy, and so that You will be glorified. Thank You. Praise God!

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